Gavin out to Pacq a punch

May 15 2009 From Ian Johnson in Belfast

BIRMINGHAM’S Frankie Gavin is learning from the world’s best southpaw and hardest puncher Manny Pacquiao, who brilliantly knocked out Ricky “The Hit Man’’ Hatton in Las Vegas last week.

Gavin has promised to show the “wicked” side of his expertise when he has his second professional outing here at the Odyssey Stadium tonight.

On his debut performance at the Birmingham NIA, Gavin displayed his speed and power to earn a highly impressive fourth-round stoppage against Georgian George Kadaria and now wants to go a step further.

He will take into the ring all he has learned so far from watching the video of Pacquiao’s two-round destruction of Hatton, which finished with one of the best single-punch knock-outs in the history of the sport.

Gavin said: “That was an amazing performance. Just perfect and a great example to all young boxers, especially southpaws like me.

“I have already watched it several times and there is something different to learn every time.

“Hatton is a hero and a legend but he was made to look very ordinary by Pacquiao and he isn’t ordinary.

“If over the next few years I can develop my ability to be just half as good it will be fantastic.

“He had a tremendous reception from his home fans in Manilla when he toured the city in an open-topped bus. Maybe in the distant future that could happen to me – a tour round Birmingham City centre as world champion in an open-topped bus. Wouldn’t that be something?

“I won the world championship as an amateur and I enjoyed being the best on the globe. I had to work hard for that and it has taught me that I will have to work even harder to reach the same level as a professional. I am determined to get there and I feel really ‘wicked’ in terms of fitness for my fight tonight, which is against Frenchman Mourad Frarema who has had five fights as a light middleweight, winning two.

“He’s got a bit more experience than me and is the third different opponent named to fight me. I think he will be tough and strong and a good test for me. If I can do a ‘Pacquiao’ and finish it in two that would be really wicked.’’

One worry in the Gavin camp, though, is that he finished his first fight with a gashed nose. During sparring-up in Manchester he suffered a cut eye from a clash of heads and needed hospital treatment.

Is the young pretender going to be a cuts sufferer?

Top of the bill features popular Irishman Martin Rogan, who defends his Commonwealth heavyweight title which he won in Birmingham in a cracker against Matt Skelton, against Norwich’s Sam Sexton.

This could be another cracker and televised live by Sky. Also on the undercard are former Olympians Billy Joe Saunders and James DeGale having their second professional outings.