by James Slater: Now that he has recovered from the wicked body shot unbeaten Urbano Antillon stopped him inside a single round with back in March, Bobby Pacquiao is set to get back in the ring on August 2nd. According to Box Rec, the brother of the current pound-for-pound king will face Thailand’s 23-year-old Decho “The Lazy Boy” Bankluaygym in Cebu City in his native Philippines..
Can the 27-year-old southpaw get back to the form he was displaying back in mid-2005 to mid-2006? Back then Pacquiao was beating good fighters Carlos Hernandez (admittedly by highly debated spilt decision) and Kevin Kelley – by 4th round stoppage in what was/is arguably Bobby’s finest career win to date. Since then, however, Pacquiao has lost three of his last four – all of these setbacks coming inside the distance and the loss to Antillon, in his most recent fight, coming via a 1st round KO.
That loss took place in Las Vegas just over three months ago, and Bobby simply has to beat Bankluagym if his career is to go absolutely anywhere but towards retirement. Always going to be in the shadow of his far superior brother Manny, Bobby Pacquiao did at one time look as though he might actually follow his sibling and win himself a world title. Fast, aggressive and matching his brother’s typhoon-like work-rate in the ring, if not his great chin and punching power, the younger Pacquiao was a welcome addition to the super-featherweight ranks. Losses to Humberto Soto and Antillon are nothing to be ashamed of and Bobby has to be given a chance to come again.
Pacquaio’s 11th round DQ loss to Mexican Hector Velezquez in the third of his recent defeats may have taken a lot out of him, though. In a rough and tough fight, Bobby had his man down early but took a lot of punches himself and was finally thrown out for persistent low blows. It was not a glory-filled night for Pacquiao, to say the least. It’s also possible that this fight, and the one after it against Soto (L KO 7) softened Bobby up, at least somewhat, for Antillon. Or maybe Pacquiao was simply caught cold in the March fight. Who knows for sure?
Now with a record of 28-14-3(13), the 27-year-old should get a win over the oft-beaten Bankluaygym. But then again, The 23-year-old Thai has a similar record to Pacquaio at 28-10(19), and he too has fought good opposition in the past. Losing to Jorge Barrios (KO by 3), Czar Amonsot (L UD 10) and Nedal Hussein ( KO by 1), Bankluagym is at least experienced. The 23-year-old is also coming off two wins this year.
The fight will decide the vacant WBO Asia Pacific lightweight title, and the contest may well be a hard one for both men. Pacquiao has boxed as high as lightweight before, whereas Bankluagym hasn’t. Maybe this will be key to who wins. Without knowing too much about the Thai fighter, I go for Bobby to win either by decision or by late stoppage.