ni Gerard Peter - @Sports | January 19, 2021
Buo ang pagnanais ni lightweight rising star Ryan “KingRy” Garcia na matutumbasan o mararating niya ang nakamit na antas ng kahusayan ng nag-iisang eight-division World champion na si Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao upang sumunod sa kanyang yapak bilang elite world champion.
Aminado ang 22-anyos na bagong hirang na World Boxing Council (WBC) interim lightweight titlist na para makuha ang katagang ‘superstar’ ay kinakailangan na muna niyang talunin ang tulad ni Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39KOs), gaya ng ginawa nito noong pagtapos sa karera ni Oscar Dela Hoya noong Disyembre 8, 2008 sa pamamagitan ng pagsuko ng 1992 Barcelona Olympics gold medalist sa 8th round sa MGM Grand Garden Arena sa Las Vegas, Nevada. “Manny is the inspiration that makes you a legend. Eight-time world champion. He's an eight-weight world champion. (He) came from dirt all the way to a senator in the Philippines? That's what you call a legend,” wika ni Garcia (21-0, 18KOs) sa panayam ng "The Rich Eisen Show.” “You've seen Oscar (De La Hoya) pass that torch to Manny . . . Muhammad Ali, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao and now guess what? It's my turn,” dagdag ng undefeated American boxer.
Nito lamang nakalipas na Enero 2 ay pinayuko at pinasuko ni Garcia si 2012 London Olympic gold medalist at dating lightweight contender Luke Campbell ng Great Britain sa pamamagitan ng 7th round TKO mula sa suntok sa tagiliran sa American Airlines Center sa Dallas, Texas.
Sunod na nanaisin nitong masubukan si World Boxing Association (WBA) regular lightweight titlist Gervonta “Tank” Davis, ngunit sakaling maging matagumpay umano ito ay matindi talaga ang pag-aasam nitong isunod ang Filipino legendary icon kung saka-sakali. “That's why maybe after Gervontae, hopefully, this is out of respect, this is not calling (Pacquiao) out. I don't want people to think I'm calling him out, that's stupid,” saad ni Garcia. “I'm just saying we share the ring together and please pass that torch to me.”
Agad namang pinatulan ni Dela Hoya ang kahilingan ng batang fighter na hinahawakan bilang promoter, kung saan sinabi nitong gagawin niya ang lahat ng makakaya upang matupad ang Garcia-Pacquiao bout ngayong 2021. “I would make that in a heartbeat. I would literally make that fight. And I would make that fight at the end of this year or the first quarter of next year. I love that fight for Ryan. That takes Ryan to a whole another level,” pahayag ni De La Hoya sa panayam ni YouTube personality Snowqueen LA sa DAZN.
Pinaliwanag ng 47-anyos na six-division World champion na malaki ang naging daan para matamo ni Pacquiao at ni undefeated-retired Floyd “Money” Mayweather ang kasikatan sapol ng talunin siya ng mga ito sa ibabaw ng boxing ring.
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