The price of knocking Manny Pacquiao down has just gone up.
After Coach Freddie Roach offered any and all Pacman sparring partners in Baguio a bounty of $1,000 if they can score a knockdown with the big gloves and protective headgear in the Shape Up Boxing Gym inside the cozy Cooyeesan Hotel in the strawberry capital, agent Michael Koncz decided to match the trainer's offer.
"I raised the stakes, the ante a little," Koncz just told me by phone from Baguio, where it was late Saturday night.
"I pushed Freddie's bounty up to $2,000, so let's see if any of these guys can collect."
This is said to be the second training camp in which Coach Roach has offered the bonus money but so far no one has cashed in.
In camp with Manny noware Michael Medina, Glen Tapia, Vanes Martirosyan and world champ also trained by Roach, Amir Khan. (Actually, Glendale, Calif., based Martirosyan, who fights Pawel Wolak Dec, 4, is said to be in the air.)
Martirosyan, who is trained by the ubiquitous Roach and is angling for a big bout, proclaimed himself most likely to grab the bonus money.
"I respect Manny a lot and I have learned a lot from him. He is a great fighter but I feel I am up to the challenge," Martirosyan continued. "That is why I always say I want to fight the best. I want to prove how good I am. It doesn't get much better than sparring with Manny Pacquiao. I hope some of these other champions man up and accept my challenge," Martirosyan told Boxingscene.
There continues to be skepticisim as to whether Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is flying to the Philippines to join the happy campers.
Koncz said that Baguio Media Day remains set for Monday, Oct. 18 and that Bob Arum, winding up a humanitarian visit with a group from his Las Vegas temple in Cuba, will be in attendance.
Right now, though, Arum is playing Our Man In Havana.
The Canadian agent also said will leave the mountain air of Baguio Oct. 22 and shoot down to Manila where he may train just one day before flying to Los Angeles. Baguio is a five hour drive from Manila.
Pacquiao will wrap up his training at Roach's Wild Card Gym in Hollywood and then just taper off when they get to Arlington, Texas, for the Nov. 13 Cowboys Stadium bout against Antonio Margarito.
Koncz also reported that Pacman's previously sore left foot is fine and that a sinus headache/cold has subsided.
"It's been a solid camp so far," Koncz said. "Trust me, Manny is not taking Margarito lightly, not at all. Manny is very focused, as focused as I've ever seen him."
Unlike their previous camp in Baguio, before the Miguel Cotto bout, Koncz and conditioning guru Alex Ariza have not engaged in any "unofficial sparring" of their own.
No one gets any bonus for knocking Mr. Koncz down, especially if he is wearing his Jacques Plante Montreal Canadiens goalie's mask which is made of reinforced vulcanized rubber mixed with bulletproof Kevlar.
Source: Examiner.com
