Dream fight dims as Floyd to enter Las Vegas jail

By JO ERLINDA G. NEBRES

LOS ANGELES, California — World boxing icon Manny Pacquiao arrived here for the continuation of his training for his fight against American Timothy Bradley on June 9, promising that he was looking forward to doing the country proud anew.
The Filipino ring hero flew in at the Los Angeles International Airport as his rival, Floyd Mayweather Jr., scored a unanimous 12-round decision against Puerto Rican champion Miguel Cotto in what Mayweather considered as one of his hardest fights yet.  Mayweather got his nose bloodied and was visibly hurt in bruising exchanges. There were also welts under his eyes and seemed exhaused during an interview after the fight.
Mayweather, as expected after the fight called out Manny Pacquiao’s name.
“If you’re the best, take the test,” was Mayweather’s challenge.
Pacquiao said he knew Mayweather would call him out once he was done with Cotto because there’s really nothing else the 35-year-old American could do other than that.
Another American fighter, Shane Mosley, lost to a rising Mexican fighter, in the undercard.
Pacquiao had defeated both Cotto and Mosley in previous outings.
It was not an easy fight for Mayweather as many saw Cotto winning in the early rounds, but then faded on the 9th round. Cotto landed some hard punches and kept attacking all the way to the final bell. 
“You’re a hell of a champion,” Mayweather told Cotto in the ring afterward. “You’re the toughest guy I ever fought.”
Mayweather dominated late, rocking Cotto in the 12th round to pull out a win and remain unbeaten in 43 fights. 
By the time Pacquiao fights Bradley, Mayweather will be occupying a cell at the Clark County Detention Center, dimming the possibility of the mega fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather where both may earn $50 million each, the biggest purse in history.
Mayweather earned $34 million in his fight against Cotto.
Before taking the Philippine Airlines Flight PR 102 to LAX, Pacquiao, now 33 and a sitting congressman representing Sarangani province, assured his countrymen that he will do his best to bring more honors for the Philippines and the Filipino people, like in his previous fights. 
This developed as Michael Knocz, a Pacquiao adviser, disclosed that a Pacquiao- Mayweather fight “is never going to happen” even as the American champion dared again the Filipino icon to fight him.
Knocz told Ronnie Nathanielz: “He (Mayweather) is never going to fight Manny. It’s never going to happen,” said Koncz. “We know Manny can beat him and Floyd knows that, too. Why do you think he wants a 60-40 split (in favor of Mayweather)?” Asked about Mayweather’s post-fight comment to sportscaster Larry Merchant that he wanted Pacquiao to take the blood test, Koncz replied: “That’s a stupid thing because Manny personally told him (Mayweather) on the phone he agreed to the blood test.”
Koncz added: “I don’t care what he (Mayweather) does. We have a fight coming up on June 9 and that’s the fight we are going to concentrate on.”
Pacquiao ended his high altitude training in Baguio and in Manila with a seven-round skirmish against Russian sparring partners Ruslan Provodnikov (four rounds) and Rustam Nugaev (seven rounds.
“Paki-sabi sa mga kababayan natin na aalis ako na umaasa na muli ay gagawin ko ang lahat ng magagawa ko para bigyan na naman sila at ang bansang Pilipinas ng karangalan, tulad noong nauna kong mga laban,” Pacquiao told sports writer Eddie G. Alinea.
“Like before, what I’m asking is for them to pray that not only I win but that I will be free from harm as I resume my preparations in L.A. until the day of the fight in Las Vegas,” he added in reference to his confrontation with Bradley on June 9. 
“Sana ay ipagdasal din nila na walang injury na mangyari kay Bradley at sa lahat ng boksingerong lalaban sa undercard ng paghaharap namin (I also ask our countrymen to pray that Bradley be spared from any harm as well as all boxers fighting in the undercard of our fight),” he said. 
“On my part, I’ll be praying that all our countrymen back home and our country be safe at all times, that I’m fighting for them,” he said. “As I’ve been saying, ang labang ito ay para sa inyo (this fight is for you)!” 
The four-round toe-to-toe against Provodnikov, whose fighting style approximates that of Bradley, impressed chief trainer Freddie Roach no end that he pronounced the defending champion will be ready to fight soon as he had expected. 
“That was the best sparring session we had since we started with the facet of the program two weeks ago in Baguio,” Roach exclaimed after the training session. 
“Manny’s nearing his fighting form and that would make the next phase of preparations a lot easier as I expected,” Roach said. 
Pacquiao himself could not hide his satisfaction with the way his training is going, saying it’s way on track. 
“Tama lang. Sukat na sukat ang schedule (Just right. Training schedule is going well),” he said. “We’ll reach our target on time. I feel very good right now.” 
So impressive was the Pacman’s performance he was given a standing ovation by the standing room only crowd that filled the MP Towers gym, including long-time supporter former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, boxing promoter Wackee Salud and election lawyer Romy Macalintal, among others. 
A farewell party was held later in the day at the Pan Pacific Hotel, Pacquiao’s official residence while in Manila.
Assistant coach Buboy Fernandez of the “Team Pacquiao” earlier assessed that the Filipino ring icon has already regained his speed and timing, and that local conditioning coach Marvin Somodeo was successful in giving a remedy to the champion’s usual leg cramps. 

Training to focus next week in Los Angeles

BAGUIO CITY – The respected Forbes Magazine has named world boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao in its list of America’s Most Influential Athletes for 2012.
Pacquiao, who is concluding his high-altitude training in Baguio City for his June 9 title fight in Las Vegas against undefeated American light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, in fact, is the only boxer on the Forbes list which is dominated by quarterbacks of the National Football League (NFL).
In other developments:
1. Pacquiao’s chief trainer Freddie Roach had to order a change in the headgear of sparring mate Ruslan Provodnikov to protect him from the punishment the World Boxing Organization welterweight champion has been dealing him, reported journalist Eddie Alinea.
After only the opening round of the grueling four-round schedule, Provodnikov’s face was in near distortion as he remained recipient of Pacquiao’s crispy left-and-right combinations.
There’s no plan though to replace Provodnikov as he, to Roach’s own admission, has proven to be the ideal mate for the Filipino boxing idol.
“Everything’s going well so far. No hitches nor, as I have been saying, major distractions,” Roach assured. “Manny’s still has to improve on his power, quickness.”
Pacquiao is set to leave this week for Los Angeles to resume his preparations at the Wild Card Gym.
2. Respected boxing trainer Naazim Richardson believes that undefeated American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the most talented boxer in the world, but Filipino champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao remains the best pound-for-pound fighter.
In an interview with On The Ropes Boxing Radio and reported by ABS-CBN, Richardson compared their situation to that of Felix Trinidad and Roy Jones Jr., who were considered as two of the top fighters in the 1990s. 
“Pound-for-pound, Roy Jones is the most talented fighter in boxing. Pound-for-pound, God gave him the most gifts,” Richardson said. “So he’s the most talented fighter in boxing. It’s like saying, yes, (Chinese basketball player) Yao Ming is the tallest guy on the team. That’s just a gift! Nobody else could be that tall if they wanted to,” he added.
“So pound-for-pound, Roy was the most talented, but I said, pound-for-pound Trinidad is the best fighter.”
Richardson, the trainer of “Sugar” Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins, said the same argument could be made when comparing Mayweather and Pacquiao, who are currently ranked No. 1 and No. 2 on most pound-for-pound lists.
“Pound-for-pound, Floyd is the most talented, but pound-for-pound Pacquiao is the best fighter in boxing,” Richardson said.
The trainer added that this is also the reason that boxing fans want to see the two boxers finally face each other inside the ring: to find out once and for all who is the best boxer of their generation. He said many have been turned off by the long wait for the Pacquiao-Mayweather dream fight.
Nascar driver Jimmie Johnson ranked first in the Forbes list, followed by New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning.
“Likeable boxing champ is a king among the Philippine population. The contrast with boxing “bad guy” Floyd Mayweather doesn’t hurt,” Forbes said of Pacquiao.
Following Pacquiao on the list were New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Nascar driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin.
Johnson was named the most influential athlete for the second straight year. Forbes writer Tom Van Riper noted that Johnson’s talent and “guy-next-door demeanor” endeared him both to fans and to marketing chiefs of several brands including Chevrolet and Quaker State.
Six out of the 10 most influential athletes are NFL quarterbacks, something that can be attributed to the “dominance of pro football on television,” according to an ABS-CBN report on the ranking.
“The NFL is just killing it, the league is now part of the American landscape,” said Stephen Master, Nielsen’s vice president for sports.
According to Van Riper, 30 million people watched every NFL playoff game last season, with a staggering 100 million watching the Super Bowl, which featured Manning’s Giants defeating Brady’s Patriots.
ABS-CBN reported that the Forbes’ list of America’s Most Influential Athletes is based on a survey conducted by Nielsen and E-Poll, wherein over 1,100 adults were questioned about dozens of well-known athletes “to measure their likeability and whether they’re considered ‘influential,’” Van Riper said.
“Candidates were limited to pro athletes who are currently active and who score at least 20% awareness with the general public,” he added.

BAGUIO CITY — Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao’s Mexican nemesis, Juan Manuel Marquez, has come out in the open for Pacquiao in his upcoming fight against American Timothy Bradley, pointing out that the American has no boxing power to outpoint the world champion.
Members of Team Pacquiao’s coaching staff, headed by chief trainer Freddie Roach, meanwhile, were one in projecting that boxing fans will be seeing a completely different Pacquiao when he stakes his 147-lb crown against the undefeated American on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
And it’s not because Pacquiao is a changed man as he has been proclaiming he is.
“The dedication has been showing in responding to the training program, which I had seen in latest fights, led me to believe he’ll be fighting differently when he meets Bradley,” Roach attested in a report of Eddie Alinea.
“Manny’s been conducting himself very well since we arrive here last week. As I said, it was a good first week in the camp and Manny looks very good,” Roach said.
Roach said he never expected Pacquiao “to be in this advance state in preparations,” even as he attributed his ward’s new-found attitude to training to being a “new man,” having involved in bible-study and preaching.
“His being a churchman helps. For one, there’s no more of the many distractions that we encountered in training in fights previous to this,” he said. 
Roach said that Pacquiao need not prove anything more when he faces Bradley.
During their high-altitude training here, Roach said that even in boxing history, Pacquiao has nothing more to prove as he is the only boxer to become champion in eight different weight divisions.
During the interview, Roach was working with new conditioning coach Marvin Somodio, his understudy for the past few years particularly in the absence of coach Alex Ariza who left for the US on Saturday.
Roach said Pacquiao’s forthcoming sparring sessions will be off limits to the public.
After his regular jogging this morning, Pacquiao is back for his biometrics training to improve his stamina that was abandoned during his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez last year.
Pacquiao’s unimpressive showing in his last outing against Juan Manuel Marquez is also one of the reasons.
“He knows he has to win impressively this time. He had learned his lessons,” Roach said.
“Masyadong dedicated at determinado. Fans will see a different Manny Paccquiao comes June 9,” assistant trainer and Pacman’s boyhood friend Buboy Fernandez said.
Fernandez said it was his boss himself who suggested the biometrics training system the team abandoned in his bout against Marquez.
“Si Manny nagsabi sa amin na ibalik ang biometrics as part of the training program kaya inumpisahan namin kanina,” Nonoy Neri, the team nutritionist who doubles up as one of the assistant trainers, butted in.
The biometrics series of exercises is a system that builds up stamina.
Like Roach, the duo were awed with the way Pacquiao has been responding to the very strict regimen despite pitching camp here only last week. Both agreed that advancing the preparations two weeks early looks to have been bearing fruit.
“Nakaganda ang maagang paghahanda kahit wala pa si coach Freddie. Kung hindi kami nag-umpisa nang maaga, baka nagkukumahog pa kami ngayon,” the duo chorused.
Both, likewise, dismissed the notion that the departure of strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza might adversely affect preparations.
“Wala yun. True, Alex was of help since he joined the team. Pero natutuhan na ni Manny ang mga dapat gawin para ma-kondisyon. So, walang nawala kumbaga,” Fernandez assured.
“At saka mapapagtulung-tulungan na namin mapagtakpan kung anuman ang nawala. Although truth is wala naman talagang nawala,” Neri said.

BAGUIO CITY — World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has declared himself ready for a tough eight-week grind to prime himself up for his June 9 fight against undefeated American Timothy Bradley with his 147-pound crown at stake.
The fighting Sarangani congressman said an almost two-week prelude he had undergone in Laguna and General Santos City made him ready for what chief trainer Freddie Roach has lined up  in Baguio City.
“Yes, I feel that the initial two-week workout serves as cushion for the tough training regimen Freddie has prepared for me to take care of,” the 33-year-old eight-division kingpin said.
“The excess fat, the rustiness had been partially lessened so I think I can readily go full-blast in training,” Pacquiao said chuckling while adding that except for a few bible-preaching engagements and time spent with his family during the Holy Week, all his time the past two weeks had been focused on his preparations.
“Workout continued even during the Holy Week, except, of course, on Good Friday. This is how important I consider my fight with Bradley is, contrary to some reports that I am sort of complacent and overconfident,” he said.
Pacquiao actually started his preparations with roadwork in the posh subdivision where his family –- wife Jinkee and children Jimwell, Michael, Princess and Quennie — resides in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna.
The frequency increased in General Santos City where the regimen included rounds of mitts under the supervision and guidance of assistant trainer and boyhood friend, Buboy Fernandez, and Nonoy Neri.
Roach, who is already in the country’s summer capital a week earlier in the company of former junior-welterweight titleholder Amir Khan, who will be preparing for his rematch with Lamont Peterson on May 19, for his part, bared that the first week in Baguio will consist morning roadwork and stamina-building with conditioning coach Alex Ariza. Rounding out the days will be rounds of mitts with Roach himself, feet and hands coordination on the balls and bags.
”We hope to complete more or less 30 rounds with the mitts till week’s end to prepare Manny for the sparring which starts on the second week,” Roach disclosed.
Russian welterweight prospect Ruslan Provodnikov, one of three Roach plans to spar with Pacquiao, will be arriving this coming weekend to work with the 147-pound champ in the Baguio leg of the camp.
Owner of an impressive 21-1 win-loss record with 14 KOs, Provodnikov, who came from Beryozovo, Siberia, will also be preparing for a fight against a still unidentified opponent in early June.

World boxing icon Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao is not giving up on the possibility of facing American champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a title fight.
Even his youngest boy said he wants his father to retire only after defeating Mayweather.
Many believe that the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight is a dream fight and, if it happens, would be the biggest and richest fight in boxing history with a prize money of $50 million each.
Pacquiao has actually scheduled the fight with Mayweather for at least four times now, but the fight never materialized due to various reasons, one of them is said to be the unreasonable demand of the American boxer of getting the bigger portion of the profits from the fight.
Pacquiao, however, is now agreeable to getting lower than their 50-50 sharing if only the dream fight would happen soon.
Mayweather is fighting in May in Las Vegas Puerto Rican slugger Miguel Cotto whom Pacquiao defeated in an earlier fight.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, is to face American fighter Tim Bradley also in Las Vegas on June 9.
Pacquiao said he is  reasonable enough and would agree to lower slice of a 50-50 share in the fight provided the shares from the pay-per-view income would be divided equally between them.
 Pacquiao said in a statement on television that he is open to getting a smaller share of the purse as long as he and Mayweather equally share the payper-view revenue, knowing all too well that their fight would break all records.
While Pacquiao has announced that he would be hanging his gloves soon, he said he won’t regret not having fought Mayweather because he had done his part in making the “dream fight” become a reality, and that his legacy as an alltime great is safe and secured.
“I am satisfied with my accomplishments in boxing,” said Pacquiao.
This developed as  Pacquiao asked President Aquino to fire a Bureau of Internal Revenue official for allegedly harassing him by filing contempt charges before the Prosecutor’s Office of Koronadal City for his failure to present tax records on time.
“Nanawagan ako kay President Noy, sana ‘yung ibang opisyal, especially ‘yung regional director ay tanggalin na. Hindi niya alam ginagawa niya. Binabaluktot niya ang tamang daan,” Pacquiao said in a press conference.
Pacquiao assailed the BIR for filing a case against him that affected his international product endorsements worth millions of dollars.
Pacquiao said his clean name was maligned by BIR officials who gave the impression he is a tax evader even though he received recognition from the same agency that he is a role model and cited as one of the prompt top individual taxpayers in the country.
He said he lost at least four major sponsors in the United States that already signified their intention to make him the endorser of their products. The US companies decided to pull out as result of the BIR’s move picturing him as tax evader.
BIR regional director Rozil Lozares earlier issued a letter of authority requiring Pacquiao to submit documents on his earnings and corresponding tax payments.
A letter of authority empowers a revenue officer to examine a taxpayer’s books of accounts and other accounting records to determine if he is paying the correct taxes.
Pacquiao complained that the case lodged against him by the BIR was done “in bad faith and to single me out.”
“I cannot think of any reason why they want to tax me. I cannot be taxed for these fights because I have already been taxed for these in the United States. That is double taxation,” Pacquiao said, referring to his earnings in 2010 after beating Antonio Margarito and Joshua Clottey.
Pacquiao, who plans to run for governor of Sarangani in 2013,  said the case filed by BIR “was designed to tarnish my reputation.”
“Itinaya ko po ang aking buhay sa loob ng ring,” he said. “But in just one instance, the BIR has tarnished my name by filing (the case) against me. Walang pagpapahalaga sa karapatang-pantao. Higit bang mas mahalaga sa kanila ang buwis kaysa sa karapatang pantao? Hindi po yata ito matuwid na daan.”
The BIR is reportedly investigating the boxing champion’s 33 tax records, including his annual income tax return in 2010, book of accounts, list of assets, and earnings from bouts the against Margarito and Clottey.
The agency also asked the congressman to disclose his earnings from product endorsements but the requirements were not filed before the February 7 deadline, which prompted the BIR to file the complaint.
“I urge the BIR to stop this cavalier attitude. It is not right. Kung nagawa ninyo na dungisan ang aking pangalan, tiyak na kaya niyo rin gawin sa karaniwang mamamayan. I intend to finish this until the final round. Lalaban po ako para sa pagpapahalaga sa karapatang-pantao,” Pacquiao said.
He insisted that there is no case against him because the BIR did not serve the subpoena to him “but to a person whose identity is not known to me.”
Dean Abraham Espejo, one of Pacquiao’s lawyers, identified a certain Jocelyn Nebria as the one who received the subpoena which was sent to an “unknown” place in General Santos City.
“Why send it to an unknown place and person? What is the purpose? Hindi ito due process. Railroaded ito,” he said, noting that Pacquiao’s known addresses were in Sarangani and the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.
Former Justice Secretary Artemio Tuquero, another lawyer for Pacquiao, said the BIR wants Pacquiao to incriminate himself.
“It is the duty of the BIR to gather evidence against a taxpayer. It is not the duty of the taxpayer to submit something that might be used against him,” he said.
Pacquiao said the controversy might drive away his international endorsements because US companies do not want someone being hounded by such issues to endorse their products.

CEBU CITY – AJ “Bazooka” Banal said he is ready for a world title fight after his abbreviated fight with Mexican Raul Hidalgo last week in the main event of Pinoy Pride 13-Road to Glory at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City.
”I’m ready for a world title fight. I’m ready for anyone they place in front of me,” Banal declared after the fight.
Banal (27-1-1, 20 KOs) unloaded a devastating left hook to the head that knocked the senses out of Hidalgo (16-6, 12 KOs).
After receiving the vicious blow, the 23-year-old Mexican continued to punch but his legs wobbled awkwardly and his head was facing down.
To save Hidalgo, referee Danrex Tapdasan quickly intervened and waived the fight off in 2:29 of the first round.
The referee’s decision had mixed reactions from the crowd, and some thought it came too early.
However, Tapdasan firmly stood his ground that he did the right call.
”The fight shouldn’t continue because his legs were wobbling and shaking. I’m not a doctor but he was in a convulsion and it’s a dangerous situation. He wasn’t himself and he was punching me and the punches were really weak. One more strong punch and it could lead to a coma. The safety of the boxer should come first before entertainment,” Tapdasan said.
Hidalgo, who was for a moment disoriented by the debilitating haymaker, felt that the referee stepped in too soon.
”The referee should have counted. I’m mad because it was stopped. Banal doesn’t hit hard,” said the young Mexican prospect.
ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer felt that the stoppage was the discretion of the referee.
”I don’t know if it was the right call. He (Hidalgo) looked a bit weird. It’s a judgment call,” he said.
Aldeguer said that it’s likely that Banal will be challenging for the World Boxing Organization bantamweight crown this year.
But Banal’s title fight depends on the decision of current titleholder Jorge Arce.
If Arce, who is slated to see action in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley fight, decides to move up a different weight division and leave the bantamweight title vacant, then No. 1-rated Banal and No. 2-ranked Thai Pungluang Sor Singyu will face off for the belt.
But if Arce decides to stay in the division and keep his belt, then Banal is taking on another opponent before trading leathers with the Mexican world champion.

MANILA — Twelve Filipino baseball and softball coaches left for the United States last week on a 10-day exchange visitor program that would acquaint them with athletes and athletic facilities in the United States.
The U.S. embassy in Manila said the visit will center on the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) spring training in Phoenix, Arizona, and on youth development and social diplomacy.
The 12 coaches — six men and six women — are Eric Aguilar of Ilocos Norte, Jesse Benjamin Bernal of Cebu, Nina Buenaventura of Bulacan, Felannie Caasi of Tagum City in Davao, Melania Gonzales of Bacolod, Rhoy Landicho of Batangas, Emmanuelito Llave of Manila, Rosevilla Mejos of Talisay and Premo Melabo, both of Talisay in Negros Occidental, Baidido Pandas of Maguindanao, Nina Serafico of Muntinlupa City in Metro Manila and Paulo Tabirara of Valenzuela City in Metro Manila.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) members Jose Luiz Gomez and Nestor Benjamin Mijares accompany the coaches.
The embassy noted that the trip follows the successful visit of Major League Baseball great Ken Griffey Jr. to Manila last year.
It said the project is based on U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s vision of “smart power diplomacy,” which embraces a full range of diplomatic tools, including sports, to foster greater understanding among nations.
The coaches’ trip will also include working with young American athletes, visiting local area high schools and universities, and participating in a Special Olympic event.
The trip will give the coaches an opportunity to attend games of several MLB teams, including the Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, and San Diego Padres, as well as meet members of those teams.
The embassy said this is the first such program that the Sports United Division of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is hosting for the Philippines.
Sports United is the sports exchange program of the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs that has brought nearly 900 athletes from 58 countries to the United States since 2003 to participate in the Department’s Sports Visitor Program.

LAPU LAPU CITY – Youthful former world champion Marvin Sonsona knocked down  Dominican Republic’s Carlos “El Flaco” Fulgencio in the fifth round of their scheduled 12-round bout at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City last week.
Fulgencio’s corner protested the knockout victory pointing out that referee Tony Pisons waved Fulgencio out of the match as the Dominican Republic fighter got up at the count of nine.
Fulgencio and his corner  pleaded their case while some people in the crowd hollered in protest.
It was gathered that the mandatory count was only at 8 in the fight and Fulgencio should have gotten up at the count of eight to stay in the fight.
“I was robbed. I was not hurt. I want a rematch,” Fulgencio stressed through his interpreter Michael Lopez.
“Marvelous” Sonsona, however, saw the knockout coming.
“I really expected to knock him out, but I didn’t expect it to be in the fifth round because I really wanted the fight to be longer,” Sonsona said in Cebuano. “I knew I would win because he is weak and I can anticipate his punches.”
Fulgencio gamely engaged Sonsona from the start, hitting the former WBO super flyweight champion with vicious hooks and straights and in the process was warned twice for low blows in the second round.
However, Sonsona’s ringmanship was too much for the Dominican Republic fighter, and the bout ended after Sonsona landed a short uppercut to the chin.
The victory improved Sonsona’s record to 16-1-1, 13 KOs while Fulgencio dropped to 19-6-1.
Sonsona has assured himself of a slot in the undercard of John Riel Casimero’s IBF Interim light flyweight title defense on May 13 against Mexico’s Sammy Gutierrez at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.
“He will be campaigning in the heavier featherweight division. The 122-pound division is now very crowded and we want him to be movable at any given situation. And believe me, he would be doing good at 126 pounds,” said promoter Sammy Gello-ani.
In the other fights, with Mark Anthony Geraldo stole the WBO Asia Pacific Youth super flyweight title from Jerwin Ancajas following a majority decision win while Froilan “The Sniper” Saludar kept the WBO youth flyweight title after a unanimous decision win over Alejandro “El Terible” Morales of Mexico and Adones Cabalquinto took the vacant Philippine Jr. Welterweight title over Dan Nazareno also via unanimous decision.
The off TV fights were short workouts with J

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -– The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region has filed a complaint against boxing champion and Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel “Manny”Pacquiao for allegedly failing to submit documents involving his business interests and income sources that were earlier summoned by the agency.
Lawyer Rozil Lozares, BIR Revenue Region No. 18 director, said Wednesday they filed charges last March 1 before the prosecutor’s office in Koronadal City in connection with their ongoing investigation into Pacquiao’s tax payments in 2010 based on the income tax returns he filed at the Revenue District Office No. 110 here.
He said they specifically charged Pacquiao with violation of Section 266 of the National Internal Revenue Code.
The Code’s Section 266, which was entitled “failure to obey summons,” provides for the penalties for any person who would neglect summons “to appear, to testify, or to appear and produce books of accounts, records, memoranda or other papers, or to furnish information as required under the pertinent provisions of this Code.”
It said that upon conviction, violators may be “punished by a fine of not less than five thousand pesos (P5,000) but not more than ten thousand pesos (P10,000) and suffer imprisonment of not less than one (1) year but not more than two (2) years.”
“This is a not a tax evasion case but a non-submission of various documents we required from him as part of our investigation, which is a criminal offense under the law,” Lozares said in a press conference in Koronadal City.
Lozares made the announcement following a grand kick-off activity in the area of the BIR’s tax campaign dubbed “I love the Philippines, I pay taxes” that was graced by BIR Assistant Commissioner Lucita Rodriguez.
The official said they launched an investigation into Pacquiao’s income tax payments as part of a routine review mandated by the agency for “high-profile personalities” in the area.
He said they initially issued a subpoena duces tecum (subpoena for production of evidence) last Jan. 24 directing Pacquiao to appear before the BIR regional office and submit various income-related documents and tax records.
Lozares said the subpoena, which was officially received by Pacquiao last Jan. 27, specifically required the latter to present copies of 33 business-related documents and 29 product endorsement contracts.
“He (Pacquiao) was supposed to appear before us last Feb. 7 but he failed so we filed a criminal case against him,” he said.
Lozares said Pacquiao sent instead a representative to inform them that he could not come “but did not submit any of the summoned documents.”
Michael Bren Evangelio, chief of staff of the Sarangani congressional office, said they could not comment on the matter as they have not yet received a copy of the BIR complaint.
But he said Pacquiao, who reportedly attended a regular session of the House of Representatives last Feb. 7, has already made efforts to comply with the BIR’s summons through his Manila-based counsel and accountant.
“They (counsel and accountant) went to the BIR regional office sometime in the last week of February to make the submissions so the congressman was surprised when he received a call that a complaint was filed against him,” he told the Philippines News Agency in a telephone interview.
Pacquiao started filing his income tax returns at the BIR Revenue District Office 110 here in 2010 after winning Sarangani province’s lone congressional district seat.
The lawmaker used to pay his taxes in Pasig City in Metro Manila, where he started his boxing career and got his tax identification number.
Pacquiao placed 24th in 2011 in the Forbes Magazine’s survey of the world’s top 50 highest-paid athletes with his total earnings from boxing and other business interests reaching US$ 25 million.
“Boxing’s biggest draw has seen his last six fights generate more than 6 million pay-per-view buys combined. Pacquiao, who moonlights as a congressman in the Philippines, has started to beef up his endorsement portfolio, with Hewlett-Packard signing the boxer in the spring to a three-year deal for a global ad campaign,” Forbes posted in its website in May last year.