Manny says he’s authorized to hurt rivals

BRISBANE – WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao said yesterday his faith in God and devotion to the teachings of the Bible aren’t making him less ferocious in the ring, explaining that in his line of work as a fighter, he’s authorized to inflict pain.

Pacquiao said the reason why he failed to score a knockout in his last 12 fights dating back to 2009 is because opponents are finding ways to stay away from his strike zone. It has nothing to do with religion. “The nature of the sport involves hurting your opponent,” said Pacquiao. “When it’s over, we embrace each other. Nothing personal. It’s just part of our job. It’s what boxing is about.”

Pacquiao said he feels no pressure in staking his crown against unbeaten Australian Jeff Horn who’ll be fighting before an adoring homecrowd at the 52,500-seat Suncorp Stadum here tomorrow afternoon. “I’m spiritually, mentally and physically ready,” he said. “The Word of God is my guide.”

Horn, 29, is a relative newcomer compared to Pacquiao as he has logged only 17 fights since turning pro in 2013. While Pacquiao is more experienced with 67 fights, he hasn’t been as active. While Horn has performed in 17 bouts over the last five years, Pacquiao’s activity is only six fights in that period. Horn was only six when Pacquiao made his pro debut in 1995.

Whether Horn can take Pacquiao’s punch is a big question mark. Horn has been decked in two of his last three fights but got up to win. In April last year, he was floored by former IBF welterweight titlist Randall Bailey in the third round. Bailey later surrendered on his stool before the start of the eighth. Last December, Horn went down, also in the third round, and survived to halt Ali Funeka in the sixth. He finished with an ugly cut over his right eye and it took seven stitches to close.

Horn is vulnerable to injury. In 2014, he suffered a fracture in his left hand and doctors inserted titanium pins and screws to repair the damage. In 2016, he had a freak accident in the gym and fractured his thyroid cartilage. A titanium plate was imbedded to protect his thyroid and the evidence is a scar near his windpipe. 

The expectation is over 50,000 fans will pack the Suncorp Stadium to set a new Australian attendance record for boxing. The record of 38,000 was registered at the Azumah Nelson-Jeff Fenech fight in Melbourne in 1992. The largest crowd in an indoor stadium for boxing was 63,315 for Muhammad Ali’s rematch with Leon Spinks at the Louisiana Superdome in 1978.    

It will also mark the biggest indoor attendance for a Pacquiao fight. The record is 50,994 when Pacquiao outpointed Ghana’s Joshua Clottey at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in 2010. It was estimated that 300,000 fans trooped to the Luneta to witness Pacquiao’s non-title win over Serik Yeshbagambetov of Kazakhstan in a makeshift ring on the Quirino Grandstand in 2003. The event was free to the public and in open air.