Here is an emergency article hours before an important fight in the boxing world.
Pound for Pound
In all his fights following a contested win over Juan Manuel Marquez at junior lightweight, Manny Pacquiao and trainer Freddie Roach have been revolutionizing the conditioning techniques in big time professional boxing. His weight management is focused on staying with or close to his fighting weight up to the day of the fight. In contrast, the old school trainers dehydrate their fighters on scale time then rehydrate them to as much as 10 to 20 pounds heavier at fight time to gain the advantage in that department.
Steroids aside and starting from the fight with David Diaz, Pac's strategy has proven to be more successful. As he wins convincingly against taller, biggger, and perceived to be stronger opponents, Manny Pacquiao truly deserves to be called Pound-for-Pound the best fighter in the world today. His recent achievements literally come closest to the accolade.
The Motivation
Pac, in a recent interview, said that he has already accomplished his dreams in boxing and that he now wants to be successful (a champion) in serving his people. This is not the kind of declaration you would want to say going to a fight which would give you 8 world titles in 8 different divisions breaking your own record in the process. A 5 to 1 favorite on the eve of the fight, Pac would gain nothing else in beating a disgraced Antonio Margarito. He would be introduced as the Honarable Congressman from the Philippines, the only boxer in history to be named such. What would that do to his ego?
Conversely, Margarito gains the world with a victory, redeems himself, and likely gains a new counter in defense of the hand-wrap controversy. All aside from getting the all important $$$.
The Training
I for one didn't see much of Pac's training and sparring sessions this time. Only insiders would really know for sure what happened in his camp. But I did see and hear for the first time that even the insiders including Roach and Alex Ariza were worried. We all know about the distractions in the past and how they did not bother him. This time, however, might be a little too much as he had his job at congress in mind while training in a fight as a boxer.
On the other hand, Margarito states that he is in the best condition of his life. He certainly looks that way to me. We can also see from videos of his camp that his training preparations try to emulate those of Pac and Roach. The results are clear. He is definitely ready.
Just like the Americans in basketball, although still vastly superior, were beaten a few times in international competitions. The world has caught-up with them and, armed with sound preparations and teamwork, had challenged and beat them in their own game.
The Styles and the Skills
Style-wise, Margarito is much like Oscar Dela Hoya. Pac should be able to pound his immobile target at will. "Death by a thousand left hands" all-over again. Margarito, though, has a solid and powerful right hand, something Dela Hoya was not known for. Another Margarito weapon is the upper cut, a kind of punch which contantly found Pac's head when both Joshua Clottey and Miguel Cotto threw them. If they were smart, Margarito and his trainer Robert Garcia, would plan for a lethal follow-up like a hard straight right hand to a left upper cut.
In fairness to Pac, he allowed Clottey and Cotto to throw punches so he could either counter or test their power. He did the same in one or two occasions againt Dela Hoya but he should never be over-confident to do that again this time. He should fight the Dela Hoya fight without those two instances.
If Pac found his range early, he would win handily by decision or late round KO. If Margarito is able to keep pressure all through-out, he would win by KO. Margarito cannot win by decision even if he outpoints Pac.
How would training, motivation, and focus affect this analysis? We should find out tonight.
Steroids and Hand-wraps
We should expect to see a fair fight tonight. Fair in the sense that no outside factors (except those already accepted and necessary like the referee, judges, fans, etc.) shall be involved in affecting the result. Margarito's weight, height, and reach against Pac's speed and skill. Did Pac train without the benefits of steroids which help an athlete in training beyond his natural physical limits? Yes. Did he use steroids in other fights before while training? I still do not know for sure.
Would Margarito use illegal substance in his hand-wraps for this fight? Definitely no. Did he know that his former trainer was hardening his hand wraps in his fight against Shane Mosley? Probably yes. Nobody would admit it but one cannot be so stupid not to know or even suspect. Did he and his trainer cheat against Cotto and Kermit Cintron? I do not know for sure. Only time will tell if somebody spits the truth out.
The Dubvious Titles
Forget about the organizations as they make the titles more questionable. Let's concentrate on the most recent. Junior Welterweight (140-lb limit): Pac won it against Ricky Hatton, his first and only fight in that class. He was not even rated in the division prior to the fight. Welerweight (147-lb limit): Pac won it by defeating Cotto at a catchweight of 145 - only his second fight in that class (The first was against Dela Hoya). Again, he wasn't even rated as welterweight prior to both fights. Lightweight (135-lb limit): Pac won it by knocking-out Diaz - Again, his first and only fight as a lightweight.
Now comes the most dubvious of all. And, in my mind, will make all the other accomlishments even more discreditable. Pac's victory will give him another title in another weight division - the 154-lb limit. He is fighting there for the first time, not even rated at all, and the weight limit was brought down to 150 lbs.
Pac fans and fellow Filipinos, I am not questioning Pac's accomplishments and warrior-like courage. The Mayweathers would not even dare think of doing a tenth of what Pac has done recently. What I am questioning is the legitimacy of the titles. This fight could have gone on without a title on the line and it would be better for Pac's 7 in 7 accomplishment. Adding one like this as the 8 in 8 makes people question the rest. But who cares, we are just here for a temporary Pac joy ride. Might as well aim to touch the sky even if it is simply a few inches above earth.
A few hours from now, only the presidential seat shall remain in the table for Manny Pacquiao, THE GREATEST BOXER THAT EVER LIVED!
No comments:
Post a Comment