It’s seldom that a fighter travels abroad to fight a titleholder in his backyard and comes out a winner’

But former two-time world champion Oscar Larios of Mexico is undaunted as he takes on the likes of the ever perilous Manny Pacquiao in a twelve rounder on July 2 at the Araneta Coliseum.

It is a huge leap forward by the brawler fondly called ‘Chololo’ who is coming in as an underdog owing to a loss of his Jr.featherweight crown to Israel Vasquez.

Pacquiao, who is deep in training at his Holywood digs says he is ready for the challenge of the peripatetic Mex adding that Larios is not yet the fighter who can deter him further from elevating his star status..

Fact is, majority of the experts we’ve talked to are saying the Gensan mauler is virtually unbeatable against the hard-punching Guadalajara native.

Freddie Roach , Manny’s chief handler has taught him everything he needs to know to insure that nothing mars their march toward a megabuck year-ending encounter with Erik Morales– legal suits filed by his own handlers against Pacquiao’s advisers– notwithstanding,

Just when details of this promo dubbed mano a mano have been put to order, comes this brazen intrusion which Manny needs like a friggin’ hole in the head.

Unbelievable!

From where we sit, it will be a brutal test of skills by two determined fighters out to regale the millions who are looking forward to such a meeting.

Make this one a great fight—nay– a damn good one with sustained action guaranteed to enthrall even the tightwads who are likely to break their banks just to see this fisticuff.

To resist Pacquiao’s pressure in the early going is the ultimate headache of anyone including Larios.

Ask El Terrible Erik who was a prey to such woes in their second meeting.

And who was it who sagely wrote that “boxing is the manly art of murder?”

The sensational Pacman owns a knockout record that is the envy of the other practitioners in his weight class.

The last one to succumb to his lethal combos was the prodigious Erik Morales.
But, Larios, to repeat is not an easy out. He is tough as nails and admittedly, a fierce owner of a potent right hand which has long been the bane of left-handed battlers.

Most of Larios’ victims (who were iced early in his career) attest to his mind-numbing knockout prowess.

But can the taller Mexican land his sockdolager to score an upset? Or will Super Pacman register a one-sided massacre?

Your call

At a Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum, there was sweet science analyst Hermie Rivera expounding on a law the United States’ 106th congress enacted “To reform unfair and anticompetitive practices in the pro boxing business.”

“It’s known as the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act’….he was saying. But I was on another wavelength since that beating administered by Erik Morales to our icon Manny Pacquiao.

As Hermie talked—his voice reminding me of Howard Cossell, my mind wandered into the ‘70s when long hair was a yes-yes and bad-mouthing the guys in khaki– a no-no.

Late September of ‘75, the Louisville Lip swapped niceties with Malacanan Palace’s longest residents after which the ‘Greatest’ rearranged Joe Frazier’s face in their ‘Thrilla in Manila’ at the Araneta Coliseum.

I was into my first decade as a sportswriter then. My idols were broadcast guys who I envied for their hilarious coverage of sports events live: Joe Cantada, Ronnie Nathanielsz, Milt Alingod and – of course – Hermenegildo, Herminio, Hermie Rivera, whatever.

I got good grades from my ever alert English teachers, but I never entertained working behind a microphone chiefly because I was absent when God distributed melodious and bedroom voices.

Later on, I realized I chose the right profession. Here’s why: After finishing my story, I can improve it by rewriting and re-writing it some more, not to mention my sports editor’s help in case I needed it.

Broadcasting? It’s a glamorous job, but it has one major disadvantage. Since broadcasters do their thing with spontaneity, they don’t have the luxury of correcting the inevitable bloopers they make.

As a sportswriter, I agree 110 percent with Alexander Pope that “To err is human, to forgive is divine.” But to my bros in broadcast, they should listen to Kermit Schafer’s advice: “To forgive is human, to err is divine.”

After all, you don’t see print bloopers often, do you? Air bloopers? there are zillions of them. Here are some gems:

How’s that again? Sportscaster: “The broad jump was won by Larry Crawford, the pole vault was won by Dick Staley, the relay race was won by St. Ignace U. And now, the event you have been waiting for, the thousand mile dash!”

Of Mouse and Man. Sportscaster: “This is Jack Drees bringing you another major PGA golf event from the White Mouse Country Club in Philadelphia… Oh, I’m sorry that should be White Marsh Country Club.”

Hey, Mister, Which DiMaggio, Joe or Dom? Baseball announcer: “DiMaggio is back, back, back to the wall, his head hits it. It drops to the ground. He picks it up and throws it back to third.

Silent A as in Dumas. During a television quiz show, a woman contestant wrestled with the rather difficult pronunciation of “Alexander Dumas.” She should have left well enough alone.
Announcer: “Here’s your question. There was a famous French author who wrote many famous stories such as ‘The Black Tulip’ and ‘The Tree Musketeers’ What’s the author’s name?”
Contestant: “Oh, my golly… I’m nervous… Let me see now… Oh! Alexander Dumb-ass! (Laughter) Oh! Henry Dumb-ass!

It’s Tongue Twisting All Right. At station break, the announcer said: “Before or after watching a beautiful basketball game, be sure to drop by Palmetto Garden Restaurant for a pretail and cockmeal.”

Major, Minor, Whatever. Radio Announcer: “And now, Van Cliburn is going to play Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto in Blee Fat Minor… I beg your pardon, that should be Fee Blat Minor!”

Even the Superstars Commit Bloopers. Ed Sullivan told about some of the winter sports athletes he was going to have in his show: “Among them will be the world Sholom champion.”

Ooolala! On Red Benson’s television show “Name That Tune” a sexy French girl and a sailor were the contestants. The orchestra played “The Anniversary Waltz.” The girl said: “Oh, How Ve Dance On Ze Nite Ve Were Ved.”
Replied Red: “No, that’s a line from it.” He then turns on the sailor and asked, “Sir, if you were married to this beautiful girl, what would you be singing a year from now?”
He looked at the girl, smiled and then answered: Rock-A-Bye-Baby.”

MANNY PACQUIAO is being robbed right in his own kitchen; our boxing hero is being cheated in his home turf.

Pacquiao could lose by hometown decision, not against Oscar Larios, because that fight is not bound to last the full 12 rounds.

Pacquiao is being cheated by his own manager, Shelly Finkel.

That, in an unhappy nutshell, was how Rex Wakee Salud, who has produced at least three Filipino world champions — Dodie Boy Peñalosa, Malcolm Tuñacao and Gerry Peñalosa — has viewed Pacquiao’s brewing trouble with his manager.

It’s like this. Finkel’s two-year managerial contract with Pacquiao is expiring on Jan. 31, 2007. (Finkel’s contract stipulates that he takes 10 percent of Pacquiao’s purses, with his management partners, lawyers Keith Davidson and Nick Kahn, splitting another five percent.)

But, in an obvious ploy to put Pacquiao off balance and get his hands tied for a contract renegotiation, Finkel has filed a suit against lawyer Franklin Gacal and Salud.

* *

Salud is an adviser and trusted friend of Pacquiao; Gacal is the secretary of Pacquiao’s promotional outfit.

Pacman’s July 2 bout against Larios is being handled by Manny Pacquiao Promotions, Inc.

No need for a boxing thesaurus here. Finkel has, in the process, virtually sued Pacquiao himself.

Finkel, as detailed by the Star’s Joaquin Henson, has accused Gacal and Salud of fraud and contract interference in negotiating Pacquiao’s fight against Larios with ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.

The giant network gave Pacquiao’s promotional company $4 million to stage the July 2 card. Pacquiao is to get $1 million of the total budget as his rightful purse.

But Finkel, entitled to a percentage of Pacquiao’s purse, wanted a share from the $4 million total budget, not from $1 million. Finkel and associates are demanding 25 percent of the $4 million budget.

* * *

Here’s the catch. Finkel, says lawyer Gacal, is agreeable to withdrawing the suit if he gets what he has been demanding out of the Larios fight.

Explained Gacal: “If he shares in $3 million, he’s agreeable to no extension; if he shares in $2.5 million, he wants an extension of one fight; if he shares in $2 million, he wants an extension of two fights; if he shares in $1.5 million, he wants an extension of three fights. If he shares in $1 million, his rightful cut, he’s going to court.”

Wow! That’s a lot of sleazy math which should not be boggling Pacquiao’s music system at this point.

But, for a deeper appraisal of the mess, let’s hear from a dedicated Pacquiao backer, Gary Gittelsohn, manager of world light flyweight champ Brian Viloria: “According to the account in the Manila Daily Bulletin, Finkel and Kahn have alleged that Gacal and Salud coerced Manny into signing a disadvantageous contract with ABS-CBN in connection with the July 2nd Larios fight. This, from the same people who installed their friend Gary Shaw as Manny’s promoter for the Pacquiao-Morales II and paid him $250,000 out of Manny’s end of the purse — a sweetheart deal that stunk to high heaven. Where’s the fiduciary accountability? From my vantage point, the only thing disadvantageous in that ABS-CBN deal is that, seemingly, Finkel and Kahn are having a difficult time taking control of the monies. Thus, the ABS-CBN deal appears to be a lucrative one for Manny and his promotional company, but not for Finkel and Kahn. And, for a real laugh, I’d love to hear Finkel’s and Kahn’s legal theories as to what duty Manny owes them for a contract extension. Instead of Larios, Manny should just take these two con artists in the ring and rearrange their features.”

* * *

Thank you, sir.

That statement was emailed by Gittlesohn to boxing expert Hermie Rivera, no stranger to this kind of dirty infighting.

Meanwhile, trainer Freddie Roach, mainly responsible for bringing in Finkel into Team Pacquiao, has also raised hell. He said the bespectacled, bald-headed manager, who had handled the likes of Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, has no business distracting Pacquiao at the height of training.

Unless Finkel wanted to destroy the Filipino national treasure.