Is Manny Pacquiao a cherry-picker like Floyd?

Manny Pacquiao has been called many names. Pound-for-pound King. 8-Division Champion. Fighter of the Decade. Cherry-picker? Not really fitting for someone considered by most to be the best fighter of today. But nonetheless, the name has cropped up more than once, especially with his recent choices of aging opponents in Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez.

But what is a cherry-picker? Urban Dictionary defines it well: A cherry-picker is one who chooses easy tasks over challenging ones.

So is Pacquiao a cherry-picker? Before we start our analysis, a principle we have to consider is that we have to judge the validity of Manny’s adversaries based on the circumstances before the contract was signed, and NOT on the lopsided outcome. With this in mind, let us begin our analysis to the period when Pacquiao finally became the Pound-for-Pound king. This title was given to him after winning his Lightweight championship match against David Diaz in July, 2008. Why start at this point? It’s because this was the time when he was already expected to take on the best opposition without excuse. His stature demanded it.

For his first two fights as Pound-for-pound best, no one questioned his choice of opponents. Pacquiao had to go up two divisions to fight former champion Oscar De La Hoya who was actually the favorite coming in while everyone wanted to see him face Ricky Hatton, not just because the fight was expected to be ultra-exciting, but also because Hatton was the lineal champion at 140 pounds.

But in 2009, a few questioned the choice of Miguel Cotto as Manny’s next opponent. Some would accuse Pacquiao of ducking Shane Mosley who was the number one welterweight at the time. The contention here, however, is that Cotto beat Shane in their own match. Miguel is also younger, in his prime and has a better record. Although he was beaten by Margarito who was later trounced by Mosley, on paper, both were more or less the same caliber. In the end, the deciding factor on why Cotto was chosen was that Miguel is promoted by Top Rank like Manny and more importantly, he draws more viewers in his fights. The bottom line is: Cotto was not a step-down in level when compared to Mosley. Pacquiao’s choice is justified.

It has to be noted that at this point onwards, Floyd Mayweather is undeniably the best opponent for Pacquiao. But we all know this story. We know the arguments. What I can only say about this in relation to our topic is that Manny has expressed his desire to fight Floyd and the majority believe Mayweather is the one cherry-picking. ‘Nuff said.

With Floyd out of the equation, Pacquiao was left hanging in the early part of 2010. He would eventually choose Joshua Clottey who was ranked fifth. While being number five doesn’t look too impressive, he was actually the best AVAILABLE welterweight at that time. Mosley (# 1) was scheduled to fight Andre Berto (#4) when Manny (#3) was shopping for a challenger. Floyd was #2, so the next best option was Clottey. In truth, it wasn’t such a bad match-up when it was signed. It just felt that way after losing the prospect of a super-fight with Floyd.

Next up was the come-backing Antonio Margarito. He’s freakishly huge, a former champion, and a man hungry for redemption. Compared to all the welterweights and below, Margarito was the most dangerous fight for Manny. The only asterisk in this fight was that it was for a Light Middleweight crown which admittedly, neither Margarito nor Pacquiao deserved a shot at. Still, no one in his right mind would consider this a cherry-pick. Margarito used to be the most avoided fighter in the division. I think he still would be if he fought at welterweight. By the way, did I mention he’s freakishly huge?

With Mayweather still on vacation, Pacquiao was left with 3 opponents to choose from for his first fight in 2011: Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Andre Berto. Among the three, Marquez was perceived by the majority as the most deserving. But in the end, the Pacquiao sweepstakes went to Mosley. The problem with this scenario is that at this point in his career, nobody was considered a major threat to Pacquiao except Floyd. Manny would have been criticized whoever he chose. Besides, the argument then was that, even at his age, Shane could easily beat Marquez while Berto was still unproven, not to mention a virtual unknown to the general public. All three had pros and cons but all of them would have been huge underdogs. So choosing Shane over Marquez and Berto wasn’t as big a deal and it definitely couldn’t be called cherry-picking.

Lastly, Pacquiao would choose Juan Manuel Marquez for his coming fight this November. Some say that it should have been then-WBC welterweight champion, Victor Ortiz but it would again boil down to the same argument as Manny’s previous options. Ortiz was unproven and Marquez was, as I mentioned, the one people wanted before the Mosley fight. Plus, there is a historical significance to this third match after having the first two ending in controversy. So this time, Manny gave in to the fans. It’s just a wonder how people can still insert Victor’s name after clamoring for Marquez just a few months earlier. So despite Marquez’s advanced age, Pacquiao’s choice is legitimate.

While I agree that Manny’s recent opponents have not exactly been stellar, it is only because the best and logical adversary is still putting roadblocks to the fight. In summary, I believe that the Pacman has still taken on the best AVAILABLE challenge since his rise to super-stardom. So no, Manny Pacquiao is NOT a cherry-picker. That title is reserved for someone else.

Source: nowboxing.com

I want him to be at his best - Manny Pacquiao

IF you know your boxing, you would agree that the March 2008 battle between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez was one of the best judged fights in the history of the sport.
For the record, judges Duane Ford and Tom Miller scored it 115-112 and 114-113, respectively, for Pacquiao, while Jerry Roth had it 115-112 for Marquez.

Most, if not all boxing experts agree the Marquez-Pacquiao II was a tightly-fought 12-round contest.

Even the fighters themselves agree it was a tough bout for both of them.

It’s understandable that Marquez keeps on claiming he won the second bout. Actually, he kept on saying he won even their initial bout back in 2004.

But to say he was robbed of a win is unfair to the sport in general, which accomplished some sort of a feat by having three judges score the Marquez-Pacquiao rematch the way it should be tallied.

MILLION BUYS. From the looks of it, the Pacquiao versus Marquez fight this November will easily get millions of pay-per-view Buys.

Last weekend, the four-city worldwide tour ended in Mexico with thousands of Mexicans attending the final stop. The tour started in Manila.

American promoter Bob Arum and Mexican boxing icon Marco Antonio Barrera were in awe as they never saw such huge crowd gather in the city for a boxing event.

Arum said aside from the close verdicts that decided their first two bouts, the styles of Pacquiao and Marquez is what makes this fight the most anticipated bout of the year.

Pacquiao will defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown against Marquez on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This will be the third meeting between the two multi-division champions. Their first fight ended in a draw in 2004, while their rematch saw Pacquiao escaping with a split decision win in 2008.

BEST EVER. Pacquiao is hoping to meet the same Marquez that gave him a tough time in their two battles the last five years.

Though relatively old in the sport of boxing, the 38-year-old Marquez remains as the only fighter, who came close to beating Pacquiao.

“I want him to be at his best because If I beat him, I don’t want to hear people telling me he is already old or past his prime,” Pacquiao told newsmen in a round-table discussion during their stop in New York.

In 2004, Marquez came back from three knockdowns in the first round to settle for a draw in their featherweight encounter.

Four years later, Pacquiao decked Marquez in the third round to escape with a close, but split 12-round verdict in their superfeatherweight encounter.

For their third fight, Pacquiao said he will be adding two more weeks from his usual eight-week training that will commence in Baguio this month.

GAG ORDER. Will someone tell Floyd Mayweather, Jr. to just focus on his upcoming fight and leave Pacquiao alone?

For the nth time, Mayweather is putting the blame on Pacquiao on why their much talked about face-off remains uncertain.

Recently, Mayweather told mediamen that former opponent Shane Mosley has told him to force Pacquiao to take the test before he agrees to a fight.

Mosley reportedly claimed he has never been hit by a punch that is as strong as Pacquiao’s punches.

In his last fight, Mosley lost a one-sided decision to Pacquiao last May in Las Vegas.

Currently, Mayweather is busy promoting his welterweight battle against Mexican-American Victor Ortiz this Sunday (Manila Time).

Reporters, however, kept on pestering Mayweather with questions involving Pacquiao.

On the other hand, Pacquiao has insisted he has agreed to the testing protocol of Mayweather, but feels the American is just finding ways to avoid the match.

At the moment, Pacquiao prefers to focus on his Nov. 12 clash opposite bitter Mexicam rival Juan Manuel Marquez.



Source: manilastandardtoday.com

The world may be shocked but Pacquiao will be defeated - Nacho

GUADALAJARA - Mexico's greatest trainer, Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain, believes the time is now to defeat Manny Pacquiao. Marquez challenges Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight title on November 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. After guiding Juan Carlos Salgado to a title win last Saturday against Argenis Mendez, Beristain flew back to his gym in Mexico City on Sunday to continue the training camp with Marquez.

After 24 rounds and two controversial endings, Nacho expects Marquez to finally come through in the third and final meeting.

"Everything I do now is point to JuanMa and to beating Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 12," Beristain told me at the airport here. "The world may be shocked but Pacquiao will be defeated. He has a lack of focus and JuanMa will take advantage of this. Being a fighter, a Congressman, a singer, all of this, will finally catch up to Manny.

"Pacquiao is a great one, yes, but no other fighter knows him, after 24 rounds, like my fighter does. You will see a great explosion by Marquez on this night."

Source: boxingscene.com

Pacquiao has the greatest jab according to Roach

MANILA, Philippines - In the middle of a smooth, three-hour flight from Toluca, Mexico to Los Angeles the other day, Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach worked on their game plan.

Pacquiao, in a shirt and tie, was having an animated chat with a couple of scribes, throwing right hooks, jabs and uppercuts to the air when his trainer got off his seat.

“You know, you have the greatest jab in the world,” said Roach.

Pacquiao, at the tailend of the hectic World Press Tour for his Nov. 12 date with old nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez, paused to face his trainer.

“But you’re not using it often. You’re not using it well,” Roach continued.

Bob Arum was playing card games on his iPad, enjoying the comforts of the gold-trimmed 11-seater Gulfstream jet, as the discussion went on.

Michael Koncz, the boxer’s adviser, was going through documents three inches thick while the boxer’s lawyer, Geng Gacal, and second, Roger Fernandez, dozed off.

What Roach was actually saying was that if Pacquiao floored Marquez many times with his left hand in their first two fights, then it’s time to give the Mexican a taste of his right.

“I feel my right hand is much stronger now,” said Pacquiao.

“Yes,” said Roach as Pacquiao jabbed the air a couple more times.

“Your jab is as strong as a straight. You can knock this guy (Marquez) out with your jab anytime,” Roach said.

Pacquiao listened hard.

During the New York leg of the 25,000-mile press tour, Arum recognized Roach’s tremendous effort in turning Pacquiao into a two-handed fighter.

“With the help of Freddie Roach, he became a complete package. He used to be a southpaw that relied completely on the left hand,” Arum said.

“Now he’s become a two-handed fighter, and he’s a much smarter fighter now than he was then,” the 79-year-old promoter said.

Marquez is going to face the best Pacquiao ever.

Source: philstar.com

Pacquiao and Marquez Announce Their Rubber (Mis?)Match

It was May 8, 2004 when Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez first stepped into the ring together at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. The fight was an instant classic at featherweight with Marquez getting off the canvas three times in the first round to roar back into the fight and earn a draw. Depending on whom you are a fan of, each fighter was robbed of victory.

The next time they faced off was four years later down the street at the Mandalay Bay on March 15, 2008. This time, the fight was contested at 130 pounds. Regardless of weight, the fight was yet again a classic with Marquez getting dropped in the third for a knockdown that would ultimately prove the difference in scoring. Pacquiao would win a split decision victory but to this day, the decision is debated.

Now, three years later and 14 pounds heavier, the two will return to the MGM Grand to finish what they started all those years ago when they square off November 12 on HBO PPV in a 144-pound catchweight bout for Pacquiao’s WBO 147-pound belt. On Wednesday at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the two men met for the Los Angeles leg of their world press tour to discuss the fight.

In the time since that second fight, Marquez has moved up to 135 pounds where he has become the lineal champion (meaning the man who beat the man who beat the man) but in his first fight with Juan Diaz as well as a later fight with Michael Katsidis, Marquez has shown that he perhaps has hit his ceiling at 135 pounds. He was knocked down by Katsidis and taken to the wall in the first Diaz outing before knocking each man out in the ninth round. Between both Diaz fights in July of 2010, Marquez moved up to welterweight in yet another catchweight fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. who, in recent years, has become a full-fledged 147-pounder. Marquez looked sluggish and slow in that fight. That might be because Mayweather is just that fast or perhaps it’s a sign that the then 36-year-old was simply not cut out to be a welterweight.

At the same time, Manny Pacquiao has jumped up from 130 to 135 where he won a paper lightweight title via ninth round TKO over David Diaz in June 2008. He followed that up by bypassing 140 pounds in favor of a big money welterweight bout with Oscar De La Hoya. The “Golden Boy” appeared to be a shell of himself, getting blown out and made to quit on his stool after the eighth round. In his next fight, Pacquiao moved down to take on lineal 140-pound champion Ricky Hatton and ended the fight- and Hatton’s career- in a two-round knockout. The Filipino superstar-turned-congressman then faced two more welterweights, Miguel Cotto (in a 145-pound catchweight fight for Cotto’s WBO 147-pound title) and Joshua Clottey, stopping the former and shutting out the latter. In his last two fights, Pacquiao took on Antonio Margarito in a 150-pound catchweight and beat him senseless for 12 rounds, following that up by shutting out and knocking down Shane Mosley in a welterweight fight earlier this year.

Looking at these careers side by side, it is very clear that while he has been successful, of the two men, Marquez simply does not handle moving up past 135 pounds well while Pacquiao has shown he can handle bigger men with seeming ease.

Pacquiao and Marquez’s promoter, Bob Arum, was in full spin mode Wednesday afternoon, attributing the Mexican fighter’s decision loss to Mayweather, a full-blown shutout, to styles and nothing more. Arum stated that for Marquez, a counterpuncher of the highest level, fighting someone like Mayweather “who may be a defensive genius” is a recipe for a loss.

Marquez seemed to agree.

“[Pacquiao] says this will be a war. I say this will be a war,” said Marquez. “It’s styles. I am aggressive and he is aggressive. It’s a perfect combination for fans. This fight is different because if people want to see a great fight, you need two fighters. Pacquiao likes to fight. I like to fight. This is a great fight.”

Seeing as how there was such a long time between each fight, I had to ask if Pacquiao was simply waiting for the right time to get Marquez who is now 38 years old with a ton of miles on him in 59 fights and a career 432 rounds boxed.

“For Pacquiao, the edge is important,” said Marquez. “For me, it is not because I like the competition and I like to train. The edge for me is not important.”

When I posed the question to Pacquiao, he claimed he had tried to make a fight with Marquez in 2006 but was turned down in favor of a bout with Chris John. “When I agree to fight the last fight, [Marquez] fought in Indonesia [against] Chris John. He turned down the fight and fought Chris John. Now, I want the fight to happen since before but to co-promote, nobody would buy the fight or PPV or sponsor the fight so…”

The latter assertion is odd considering that when they rematched, the fight was a co-promotion between Golden Boy, Marquez’s former company and Top Rank, who is promoting this bout. However, on one level, it does make sense seeing as both companies have been in something of a “Cold War,” opting to promote within their own stables instead of working together to make the fights fans want to see.

When asked by a reporter why the two men did not meet in 2008 when both briefly shared time at lightweight, Marquez responded, “I don’t know what happened. Maybe because his promoter didn’t want it.”

In any case, whether he wanted to or not, Pacquiao has a serious advantage here. He has shown an ability to beat the daylights out of larger men who are near or at the end of their careers. While Marquez is roughly the same size, at 38 years old, he is at or near the end of his career. And while they did fight such close fights in the past, boxing is about timing and right now, timing seems to favor Pacquiao.

Marquez said he learned from his first fight at welterweight and that he won’t be making the same mistakes this time around in his preparation.

“I learned the first time,” Marquez said. “I didn’t have confidence. I need to prepare physically and mentally because this fight is very dangerous for me. I trained very hard for the weight. Maybe that was the problem.”

For this fight, Marquez hopes to come in lighter, believing that in order to win, he must possess what Pacquiao’s recent opponents have not.

“Yes, I want to be 140 pounds in the weight or 141 because I don’t want to lose speed,” said Marquez.

He also stated that in order to be successful, he must control what his trainer, Nacho Beristain calls the “Combat Zone,” the short distance between the men at close range. Keeping Pacquiao at just the right distance, maintaining control and sound defense will be key to Marquez winning. In his previous two bouts with Pacquiao, Marquez was overzealous, in his trainer’s opinion, and rushed in when he thought Pacquiao was hurt. It was this reckless approach that Beristain feels led to the knockdowns.

“I need to take control in the short range and then, I need to move my body and use my speed,” said Marquez.

In another bit of bad- or what some might call ironic- timing, while the press conference was going, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was holding court on his conference call to promote his September 17 bout with Victor Ortiz. I asked Pacquiao if he felt that this trilogy will define him more than a fight with Mayweather.

“I don’t care. All I care for this fight is to prove to [Marquez] and to take out all the doubts in some of the fans and in his mind.”

There are those who will say that the time to prove the doubters wrong was years ago with Marquez, that the time and events in between have irrevocably separated the two men. Perhaps this fight will prove them wrong. Perhaps these two men were made for each other in the ring and they are destined to fight tooth-and-nail all the way down the line.

Arum’s spin would lead you to believe that. The words of Marquez, Pacquiao and Beristain will try to convince you of that. In the end, Pacquiao and Top Rank’s collective modus operandi of getting fighters at just the right time and weight is perhaps the most compelling evidence that this fight is more mismatch than rubber match. Some will say “better late than never.” To see the events as they have played out, it would seem that this is more a case of “better later than sooner” for Team Pacquiao.

Source: maxboxing.com

Freddie Roach is afraid of this fight?

LOS ANGELES – On an intellectual level, Freddie Roach breaks down the third fight between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez fight on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas and can see only one result: a one-sided victory for his fighter.

On a gut level, a small part of him isn’t so sure.

Pacquiao and Marquez fought on even terms in 2004 (draw) and 2008 (Pacquiao split decision), which failed to answer the question of who is the better fighter. Maybe Marquez simply knows how to be competitive with Pacquiao.

“Sometimes people have people’s number,” said Roach, speaking at a news conference Wednesday at The Beverly Hills Hotel. “Will Manny fall into the trap, fall into Marquez’s plan like he did in those fights? … You never know.

“In the back of my mind … I think sometimes guys just have a style that you have difficulty with. This could be one of them.”

Roach has respect for Marquez, who at 38 remains one of the best fighters in the world. The famous trainer said Pacquiao’s rival presents a challenge bigger than anyone except Floyd Mayweather Jr. Marquez, he said, is the best counterpuncher on the planet.

Still, when Roach is asked why the third fight won’t be anything like the first two, he exudes confidence.

Promoter Bob Arum said anyone who judges Marquez based on his performance against Mayweather, a near-shutout decision in 2009, is crazy. Counterpunchers need their opponents to come to them. Mayweather didn’t; Pacquiao will.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the fight will be close, Roach said. Pacquiao has evolved.

“Manny doesn’t go in recklessly like he did in the first two fights,” Roach said. “Manny doesn’t fall into the traps of a counterpuncher. He knows how to feint now. He uses in and out motions. You don’t know whether he’s coming or going.

“Counterpunchers start reaching for him and the counters that.”

Roach is predicting a knockout – which would be the first time Marquez has been stopped -- in part because that's what Pacquiao needs.

If the sport’s biggest superstar is going to eliminate any doubt that lingers after the first two fights, he’s going to have to win convincingly this time. Plus, Roach said, Pacquiao has a small grudge against Marquez.

“I don’t see him going into this fight being compassionate, letting (Marquez) off the hook the way he did with Shane (Mosley) and (Antonio) Margarito in the end," Roach said. "He has a little grudge. (Marquez) came to the Philippines wearing a T-shirt that said, ‘We got robbed’ and so forth.

“… I’ve urged him not to be compassionate and take him out. That’s the only thing that will make the controversy go away.”

UNDERESTIMATION

No one who saw the first Pacquiao-Marquez fight, on May 8, 2004 in Las Vegas, will forget it. Marquez went down three times in the first round yet fought back to earn a draw.

The Mexican admits now that he took Pacquiao lightly even though the Filipino was coming off an 11th-round TKO of Marco Antonio Barrera. And, Marquez said, he was stunned to find himself on the canvas again in the third round of the second fight.

“The first fight, I think I have an easy fight. Then he surprised me,” Marquez said in his ever-improving English. “In the second fight, in the third round, it’s the same."

He certainly won’t underestimate Pacquiao this time.

“This is more of a challenge for me because he’s the best pound-for-pound fighter. I'm training hard for this fight,” Marquez said.

WEIGHTY ISSUES

Mayweather’s style definitely was all wrong for Marquez, as Arum said. Another problem might’ve been Marquez’s weight.

The natural lightweight weighed in at 142 pounds for their fight, seven more than he had ever weighed. And he looked painfully slow in the ring, although Mayweather’s quickness obviously played a role in that.

Marquez said he’d weigh a pound or two less for Pacquiao.

“If I come in heavy, maybe I’ll lose speed,” he said.

Source: ringtv

Roy Jones wants to join Team Pacquiao?

MANILA, Philippines – Former heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. is ready to offer his words of wisdom to pound-for-pound king Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, should the Filipino champion ever need it.

In an interview with 8countnews.com, Jones said that he is willing to give advice to Pacquiao.

"In the future, if Manny does have issues, or needs somebody to talk to, then he can call me," Jones said.

Jones likened himself to Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson, while Pacquiao can be considered as LeBron James.

"If people like LeBron James called and questioned and had an interaction with Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson before he made the decision he made, they would have better guided him in making future decisions," Jones said.

Jones may be referring to James' decision to take his talents to the Miami Heat and leave the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"For Manny, if he ever wants to talk to me, and ask me what direction he should go to, I would gladly tell him," Jones said.

Jones, who has won titles in the middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, is already offering Pacquiao some advice regarding a possible superfight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

"I know Manny pretty well, and I know Floyd pretty well, and there are ways and things he can do to change the outcome of things," Jones said.

"He (Pacquiao) definitely has to change the way he is fighting right now because Floyd is used to that," Jones added. "As a matter of fact, (Juan Manuel) Marquez is used to that."

Jones said that the Filipino boxing icon will have to change some of his style, as other boxers may have learned to counter his moves inside the ring.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

The key is to neutralize Pacquiao's speed - Nacho Beristain

MANILA, Philippines — As Manny Pacquiao morphed from an off-beat slugger to a more polished puncher through the years, Juan Manuel Marquez has remained the same – patient but potent.

While Pacquiao continues to display his old, trademark moves, the Filipino has mellowed down a bit, a peculiarity that Marquez’s Hall of Fame trainer Nacho Beristain said might work in their favor come November 12 in Las Vegas.

“Pacquiao has become more refined now,” said Beristain, noting that before “Pacquiao would jump in and out.”

Beristain, known for his strategic brilliance, said the fact that Pacquiao has cut down on these risky but highly-rewarding moves might do wonders in Marquez’s gameplan since it would make it easier for his fighter to launch his own offensive.

Still, Beristain believes the third fight would still be very much like the first two matches of Pacquiao vs Marquez: a thrilling draw in 2004 and an action-packed split decision win for Pacquiao in 2008.

“I don’t think there’d be a knockout but this will be 12 rounds of high-level boxing,” said the 68-year-old Beristain, maker of many of Mexico’s finest champions.

Even if Pacquiao has tweaked his style a bit, Beristain remains cautious of Pacquiao, whose mix of power and speed would bring problems even to the most skillful of fighters.

“The key is to neutralize his speed,” added Beristain.

Publicist Ricardo Jimenez, a former sportswriter for La Opinion who has closely followed Marquez’s career, said even at the age of 38, Marquez is still a dangerous opponent.

“He doesn’t get flustered,” said Jimenez, stressing that Marquez’s ring savvy is one of a kind.

Meanwhile, as a sideshow to the buildup for the four-city press tour that will be kicked off by Manila Saturday, Marquez met with Mexican ambassador to the Philippines on Friday afternoon.

Jimenez was told that there are just a few hundred Mexicans living in the Philippines and about 50 of them live in Metro Manila.

“I think those living in Manila were all there,” said Jimenez.

Jimenez said Mexican staples like taco and quesadilla were served but was amazed that there were rare ingredients that he never thought would be served in the dining table.

“We were told that they had a lot of difficulties finding the ingredients,” said Jimenez.

But while the food was authentic, the beverage served were not.

There was no Corona nor Tecate, two popular Mexican cervezas, said Jimenez.

“They served San Miguel (beer).”

“It was good,” said Jimenez.

Source: mb.com.ph

Marquez will take a beating - Doug Fischer

"Thanks for the RingTV show and your work with RingTV.com. I noticed that you've been completely writing off Juan Manuel Marquez against Manny Pacquiao this coming November. Although I agree that Marquez doesn't perform as nearly as well at a higher weight, we only have his performance against Mayweather (the most gifted boxer out there) to use as a comparison. But nonetheless, Marquez went 12 rounds with Floyd Jr. (and Manny ain't no Mayweather). In my opinion, Marquez is a more technically skilled -- not athletically skilled -- fighter than Pacquiao and if he succeeds in making it a boxing match and in controlling tempo as Erik Morales did, we'll have a new Mexican welterweight champion in a few months. -- John, Santa Paula, CA"

You’re absolutely right, John. I am writing Marquez off in his third bout with Pacquiao and I hate myself for doing it because I have so much respect for him.

However, I can’t get the image of Marquez getting shaken by punches from Juan Diaz and dropped hard on his ass by Michael Katsidis in LIGHTWEIGHT bouts. Now he’s going to face Pacquiao at a weight that his arch rival has proven the ability to hurt naturally bigger fighters -- and not just any fighters -- tough, proud world-class veterans (Cotto, Margarito, and Mosley). He made Cotto and Mosley basically b___h out after dropping them early.

I’m not even factoring in Marquez’s fight with Mayweather, who never tried to take out the Mexican veteran (but probably could have). “Manny an’t no Mayweather?” Um, yeah. Pacquiao lets his hands go. Maybe that will give Marquez an opportunity to clip him with counter punches. We’ll see (PacMan’s aggressive nature was supposedly going to give Mosley a shot, too, remember?). I don’t see Marquez playing it safe against Pacquiao if he gets hurt the way Sugarless Shane did, and thus I see him taking a beating. I hope I’m wrong. I hope we get a good fight.

Source: ringtv

Anxious already about Pacquiao-Marquez III

A friend visited me from Mexico last week. Between trips to Austin and strolls along the San Antonio River, we had occasion to watch a number of old Marco Antonio Barrera fights – the Junior Jones debacles and the classic trilogy with Erik Morales. But it was the first Manny Pacquiao fight that filled me with a dull sense of foreboding about November.

What does Barrera have to do with November? Probably not much unless Top Rank needs undercard filler. What Barrera tells us about Pacquiao’s waning interest in combat, though, might be plenty instructive as we begin to look forward to Pacquiao’s third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez.

First, a note or two about what it was like to be an average boxing fan in Mexico for the last decade. My friend lives in Tampico, Tamaulipas, a city located about 300 miles south of the U.S. border. In the 1940s, he boxed in amateur events as a boy in the Mexican state of Veracruz. He loves boxing at least as much as you do.

But until last week, he had never seen Barrera-Morales I, II or III. Those fights, you see, were on pay channels, and a municipal employee in Tamaulipas’ fifth-largest city didn’t earn a salary large enough to justify such an expense. That meant, in some way, boxing stopped commanding his interest. There were the old days, nostalgia for such scrappers as Rodolfo “Chango” Casanova, sure, but with its accessibility issues, boxing moved to a distant second behind soccer.

That is now changed. Boxing is everywhere on Mexican public airwaves again. But the lost decade of Mexican prizefighting, and its consequences for the quality of product coming out of Mexico today – read: Canelo and Junior – is worth an annual reconsideration or two by American fight fans looking at bandwagons to jump.

The Barrera that fought Morales in February of 2000 has never been seen again. He would go on to teach Naseem Hamed how to box in 2001 and decision Morales in their 2002 rematch, but he would never fight with the abandon he showed in his first match with “El Terrible.”

Seventeen months after winning a first decision over Morales, Barrera would come to San Antonio and get fully undone by a young Filipino prodigy nicknamed Pac Man. With trainer Freddie Roach whispering in his ear about Texas judges – with the ghost of Chavez-Whitaker still haunting the Alamodome scorer’s table (and yes, trivia buffs, Gale Van Hoy was an official judge for Barrera-Pacquiao I) – Pacquiao would make no mistakes in his championship rounds with Barrera.

Fresh as an insolent child after 30 minutes of combat, Pacquiao would hunt and raze Barrera. Beginning in the ninth round, Barrera would glide, retreat and engage only when imperiled. And Pacquiao’s ferocious fighting spirit would not stop imperiling the champion till Barrera’s corner stopped the match.

Four years later, in a fight that marked a temporary rapprochement between Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, Barrera challenged Pacquiao to a rematch Barrera had no thought of winning. Barrera cashed himself out, gliding and retreating for 36 minutes, engaging only when imperiled and announcing a retirement immediately afterwards.

And Pacquiao let him. Fighting as the favorite in Las Vegas, Pacquiao had no fears of crooked Lone Star scorecards. He did enough to win each round. Drained from making 130 pounds for the last time, Pacquiao did a 12-round dance with Barrera that looked like nothing so much as a business transaction.

What happens, then, if that Manny Pacquiao meets the wrong Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12 at MGM Grand?

To this point, worries about Pacquiao-Marquez III have all treated Marquez’s health. Marquez, great as he is, does not belong in a fight one ounce above the lightweight limit of 135 pounds. Pacquiao is an established, if ever-light, welterweight. Their rubber match will happen at 144, where Pacquiao seems most comfortable.

Marquez has shown us that he, too, is capable of a business transaction. Told by his trainer and longtime manager Nacho Beristain not to fight Floyd Mayweather at welterweight in 2009, Marquez did it anyway to gain a career payday. Dropped early in the match, Marquez fought hard enough to frighten the ever-cautious Mayweather from pursuing a knockout in the half hour that followed. Mayweather could not knock out Marquez, in other words, because he hated the thought of a hellacious exchange.

After losing most every round to Mayweather, though, Marquez showed no regret. On the contrary, he stated plainly that he had nothing about which to feel shame. He’d challenged a much larger man, remained on his feet and cashed a much larger check.

Since then, Manny Pacquiao has shown, in fights with Joshua Clottey and Shane Mosley, that if an opponent is hellbent on not-fighting, Pacquiao won’t force him to do it. The likely beneficiary of every close round, Pacquiao now stays busy, picks his moments, flurries and leaps out, and collects decision victories and immense paydays.

What happens, then, if that Pacquiao squares off with that Marquez? Two words, actually: Uh oh.

We’re readying the boxing rally caps, I know – the now-annual rite of Pacquiao-Mayweather-fight promises will soon spill forth as if on a timer – but it might be helpful to remember this. Whatever happens from here, however easily Mayweather decisions Victor Ortiz in a few weeks, however easily Pacquiao decisions Marquez two months after that, Pacquiao-Mayweather will never again hold the promise it held at the end of 2009.

The Fight to Save Boxing, 2012 vintage, is an event already corrupted by greed and shortsightedness. Let us hope nothing happens in November to cause further erosion of interest.

Source: 15rounds.com

Pacquiao-Marquez Trilogy more popular than Mayweather-Ortiz fight

Theres still a few more days to go and it will be September, it means more Boxing in store for you before the Christmas season.

First thing that we will be looking at is the come back of the former pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather. The American boxer will step on the ring once again to face Victor Ortiz in a title fight this September 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Next to this will be the Pacquiao vs Marquez third and final fight between long-time rivals this coming November 12.

If we compare these two exciting match ups, Pacquiao and Marquez III is more popular because it really created a buzz. With so many promotions and tours the long time awaited trilogy is on the top.

“I’m not hearing much about Mayweather-Ortiz. Hopefully the buzz will pick up soon,” said Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

This is indeed true, Mayweather’s lawsuits are much more talked about than his upcoming fight. Maybe because he is fighting Ortiz not Pacquiao or maybe because his crimes is pulling him down.
Mayweather had another lawsuit that came from his former friend. And add uop his past accusations by his ex-girlfriend and the bodyguards.

On the other hand, Pacquiao who is very confident in ending Marquez’s career is hoping to have the mega fight next year.

“There is a big possibility that by next year there will be a fight between me and Mayweather . I think the fight will push through,” said Pacquiao.

While the Pacquiao-Marquez is continously reaching out to all of the boxing fans around the world, the Mayweather-Ortiz campaign is slowing down.

“The Marquez-Pacquiao III has more fans than a fight between a ducker (Mayweather) and another Mexican soutpaw. We can really tell,” said A.J Samonte of the Philippines.

“The reason why the people shows low interest in the upcoming Mayweather fight is because of Mayweather’s past actions,” Tim Jones of Carolina.

The same Marquez will fight an improved Pacquiao

Age has nothing to do with it. Even at 38 years of age, Dinamita remains a sensational fighter who shows no signs of the wear and tear that sometimes plagues boxers who are in such an advanced stage of their careers. Marquez’s age will not be a factor in his fight against Pacquiao, but the latter’s superior skills will be.

The Skill Factor:

The great Mexican warrior seems oblivious to the fact that Pacquiao is not the same fighter he was when the two met previously in March of 2006 and again in March of 2008. Both matches ended with great controversy; the first resulting in a draw and the second in a split decision loss.

Marquez feels that he won both fights. Following his November 11, 2010 TKO victory over Michael Katsidas, he showed up at the post fight press conference sporting a T-shirt emblazoned with the words “Marquez Beat Pacquiao Twice”.

Both fights were close, but Pacquiao simply isn’t the same fighter he was when the two last met. Knockout victories over bigger men like Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto with unanimous decision wins over Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito, and the much bigger though shopworn Shane Mosley stand as testament to the fact.

Over the course of these fights it is clear that the Pacman has improved exponentially.

The Weight Factor:

Pacquiao could have easily made the 140 to 142 lbs catchweight that was first proposed by Marquez, but both teams settled on a catchweight of 144.

Marquez weighed in at 134 and rehydrated to 145 against Katsidis. His official weight against Ramos was 138, and he likely weighed around 145 again on fight night.

Pacquiao has weighed in at 144.5 and 144.6 respectively against Margartio and Mosley, rehydrating to 148 for both fights.

As far as fighting weight, we’re only talking about a disparity of 3 lbs.

If Team Pacquiao had agreed to a 140 lb catchweight it would have been to Marquez’s advantage, but would it have been enough to give him THE advantage? Boxing trainer Stacy Goodson of Paris, Arkansas doesn’t think so.

“It doesn’t matter,” Goodson said. “You’ll see. It’s a new and improved Pacman. The ghost of his past will stay in his past, and in six rounds you’ll have another mangled Pacman victim.”


examiner.com

A knockout to clear all doubts

IS Floyd Mayweather Jr., at age 34, a fading ring veteran?
We will know after his Sept. 17 title fight with Victor Ortiz.

Is Manny Pacquiao, who’s turning 33 on Dec. 17 about to fade as pound-for-pound champ?

We’ll know after his crown defense against 38-year-old veteran Juan Manuel Marquez.

For now, Manny is assuring JuanMa of a speedy resolution to his quibbles of blown calls when they tangle anew Nov. 17 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Two months is all I need to get in shape and I’ll be ready for Marquez despite the long interval in our fights,” a fussy Manny tells this corner, adding that his intention this time is to “beat Marquez clearly to erase all doubts.”

“I want a knockout win to do away with questioned decisions as what occurred in my failed bids against Pacquiao,” Marquez punched back.

Call it any other way, but I smell a knockout any which way this rubber bout goes.

So brace up for an action-filled gig, courtesy of boxing’s tested aces out to conclude matters within the 12-round order of business.

Three weeks in Baguio City, the Philippines’ summer capital, is where Manny starts re-sharpening his hooks, straights and uppercuts dulled somewhat by inactivity after his disposal of Shane Mosley.

The Pinoy idol is into light drills now, but goes full bore in his preparations as soon as the press tour, which starts Sept. 3 in Manila concludes, following stops in Mexico City, New York and Los Angeles, where he takes a Philippine Airlines flight back to Manila.

Topping Pacman’s agenda is a treat from the protagonists, who have been wanting to put in order the final stanza of their fistic telenovela.

“It’ll be a great, if not the greatest performance of Marquez, but that won’t be enough to stop Pacquiao,” crowed Top Rank’s Bob Arum as he puts the final touches on his chart-topper that’s likely to bring in huge pay-per-view revenues and a packed gate attendance.

There has never been a dull fight where the boxing congressman figured in. Same goes for the game Marquez. And with Pacquiao eyeing next year a bigger if not the biggest prize--Floyd Mayweather Jr.--expect an engaging finale of the Manny-JuanMa curtain call.

Source: manilastandardtoday.com

Marquez needs a KO to WIN against The Pacman

By Chris Williams: Former three division world champion Juan Manuel Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KO’s) realizes that in order for him to be guaranteed of a win over WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KO’s) he may have to knock the Filipino out on November 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s kind of sad that the soon to b 38-year-old Marquez has to win by KO just to get the ‘W’, but that’s probably the reality of it.

Marquez didn’t get the decision in his two previous fights with Pacquiao, even though he appeared to win both fights in the eyes of many boxing fans. I certainly had Marquez winning both fights, but it kind of shows you how tough it is to beat Pacquiao. You got to beat him badly if you want to win a decision, and the best way is to simply take the judges out of the mix by knocking him out.

Marquez has the best tools to accomplish that with his excellent body punching. If there’s an area where Pacquiao is vulnerable it’s to the body. You look as his fight with Antonio Margarito and in some of his other fights, and that’s where he’s been hurt before. Marquez needs to double triple up on his hooks to the liver to take Pacquiao out.

You got to pound his body and then come up with a good plan to defeat his grabbing once he makes it back to his feet. His trainer Freddie Roach no doubt has come up with a survival plan for Pacquiao to use when and if he gets hurt. You can expect a load of clinching. Marquez needs to continue to blast Pacquiao in the bread basket even while being held.

Source: boxingnews24.com

Marquez is slower, Pacquiao by KO within 5-8 Rounds - Donaire

MANILA, Philippines - Back in the US to prepare for his title defense against unbeaten Argentinian Omar Narvaez, WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. said the other day he expects Manny Pacquiao to knock out Juan Manuel Marquez anywhere from five to eight rounds when they clash in Las Vegas on Nov. 12.

“It’ll be an exciting fight,” said Donaire, referring to the third meeting between Pacquiao and the Mexican whiner who insists he was robbed in a draw and a loss by split decision in their first two encounters. “Marquez is slower now. He’s even chunkier. But he won’t fight Manny like (Sugar Shane) Mosley. Marquez will go out there trying to take out Manny. That’s why it’ll be a lot more exciting than Manny’s fight against Mosley. Manny won’t have a problem finding Marquez. It’ll be over in five to eight rounds.”

Donaire was in town with wife Rachel for about three weeks and left for the US last Thursday.

Marquez, 38, is moving up from the lightweight division to challenge Pacquiao who’s defending his WBO welterweight title at a catchweight limit of 144 pounds at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Pacquiao, 32, tipped the scales at 145 for his bout against Mosley last May while Marquez was at 138 for his first-round knockout over Likar Ramos last July. The heaviest Marquez has weighed in for a bout was 142 in losing to Floyd Mayweather in 2009. Marquez was floored once enroute to dropping a lopsided decision to Pretty Boy. It was evident that Marquez couldn’t carry the extra weight and was sluggish because of the excess baggage.

Pacquiao floored Marquez thrice in their featherweight battle in 2004 and did it once when they fought as superfeatherweights in 2008. Now, Pacquiao is bigger and stronger as a welterweight. If Marquez was floored four times by Pacquiao when they were almost equal in weight, the betting is the Mexican – who’s a natural lightweight – wouldn’t be able to withstand the Filipino icon’s welterweight power.

Donaire said he hopes to follow in Pacquiao’s footsteps and collect a truckload of titles. Pacquiao is in the record books as the only fighter ever to win eight world crowns in eight different weight divisions. Donaire has so far won two world championships in two weight classes. He’s booked to face Narvaez at the Home Depot Center in Carson City, California, on Oct. 22. Top Rank chairman Bob Arum recently confirmed the fight as a done deal. After the Narvaez fight, Donaire said he’s moving up to superbantamweight. His goal is to take on the winner of the Oct. 1 showdown between Marquez’ brother Rafael and WBC 122-pound champion Toshiaka Nishioka of Japan. It will be Nishioka’s sixth defense. Rafael Marquez is a former WBC superbantamweight and IBF bantamweight titlist.

Donaire had planned to fight twice more before the year ends but a spot in the undercard of the Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito mainer at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Dec. 3 was scratched because it’s too close to the Oct. 22 fight against Narvaez. Besides, Donaire has an appointment with Rachel to do a church wedding in Alabang on Nov. 11. A duel with the Nishioka-Marquez winner is a possibility for January.

Source: philstar.com

Juan Manuel Marquez in Superb Condition

By Chris Williams: The November 12th Pacquiao vs Marquez 3 fight is still three months away and Marquez, 38, already looks to be in fighting shape judging from the photo he took posing with Brandon Rios and Mikey Garcia in Los Angele, California on Tuesday.

Marquez looks lean and youthful compared to Rios, who appears to be out of shape and sporting a little paunch.

This isn’t good news for Pacquiao, because Marquez seems to be taking this fight very seriously by being in such good shape so early on.

Marquez and Pacquiao have fought twice before with the first fight ending up a 12 round draw in 2004, and the second with Pacquiao winning a very controversial 12 round split decision in 2008.

Many top boxers and writers think that Marquez should have won both fights, and was given the shaft. I’m in agreement with that.

I saw Marquez bettering Pacquiao in both fights, but it shows you how difficult it can be to defeat a guy like Pacquiao. You’re not just beating him, you’re beating his popularity as well, and that’s really hard to get past.

Marquez was the better fighter in those two fights. Pacquiao was just the popular guy that got the judges’ decisions. In some ways I think boxing is like professional wrestling unfortunately.

Marquez will have to be on Pacquiao early and take the fight to him to make sure he doesn’t get any momentum. That’s the advice that was given to him by Erik Morales, who defeated Pacquiao in 2005.

I’m sure Marquez really doesn’t need Morales’ advice given that Marquez arguably should have won both fights with Pacquiao. But Morales did a better job against Pacquiao by in his win over him compared to Marquez.

The difference was that Morales threw many more combinations, drove Pacquiao back repeatedly and stayed on his feet. Morales didn’t let Pacquiao knock him down the way that Marquez did in his two fights with him.

Marquez is going to have to stay on his feet in the third fight with Pacquiao because that will give the judges any excuse they need to give the fight Pacquiao.

Source: boxingnews24.com

Feeling Safe: On Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez III

On November 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Pacquiao vs Marquez will meet for the third installment of a rivalry that has thus far been classic. In bloody chess matches in 2004 and 2008, the two were as evenly-matched as possible. Both possessing deep reservoirs of moxie, Pacquiao overcame Marquez’ edge in rounds won by lifting the Mexican icon off his feet a combined four times. Just as you thought Marquez had taken control with superior ring generalship, Pacquiao’s movement would become more expeditious, his attacks more surgical, and he would take the reigns back behind explosive athleticism. The battles crescendoed into dramatic final rounds in which both men showed the desperation we yearn to see in the closing moments of championship bouts. Their styles seem divinely configured for each other.

Consequently, the reasons a boxing fan would lack enthusiasm for a rubber match are peripheral but substantial. There would be nary a complaint if the trilogy concluded at lightweight, months after the rematch. But plenty has happened in the last three years, the most significant of which was Marquez suffering the lone uncompetitive loss of his career to Floyd Mayweather in an ambitious leap to welterweight. He’s about to make that leap again.

Logic follows that Pacquiao, now six fights deep at welterweight, is far more comfortable above 140 pounds than Marquez is, comfort that’s perceived as a profound enough advantage to make him an 8 to 1 favorite in Vegas. Mayweather, of course, has made many an accomplished opponent look silly, so nobody knows exactly how much the added weight factored in Marquez’ lopsided loss. The image of a sluggish Marquez swatting at air nonetheless remains prominent when sizing up how he’ll fare against his old nemesis on November 12th.

Within a larger trend, Marquez is Pacquiao’s third consecutive opponent who started his professional boxing career in the early 90s. The dust cloud from the Filipino star’s run through Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto – when his jump to higher weight divisions was still novel – has long dissipated. Now, Pacquiao fights carry a safe feel to them, even if Marquez likely provides the sternest test since the last time they locked horns.

Shane Mosley’s shiftless dawdling during 22 of the 24 rounds he spent inside the ring with Pacquiao and Mayweather left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth, amplifying the demand for adversaries with fresh legs as we wait for the mega-event that may never materialize. As a result, news of Marquez-Pacquaio III prompted more than a few yawns, while, despite Victor Ortiz’ limitations, Mayweather’s decision to fight someone under the age of 35 induced gasps and raised eyebrows.

Still, the 37-year-old Marquez, with Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera, is part of a trio of Mexican icons who have shown resiliency against age and low expectations. Recall that Barrera, also moving up to a new division, was placed as a firm underdog in his 2004 rubber match against Morales before beating his rival in close, but convincing fashion. More recently, Morales, thought to be fodder for the bigger, younger Marcos Maidana, flashed power to go along with his trademark know-how and durability to give as good as he got. And, of course, Marquez well exceeded pre-fight assumptions in his rematch with Pacquiao, trumping the notion that a more developed right hook would give Pacquiao the decided advantage that he lacked in their first bout. Pacquiao is susceptible to skilled fighters with strong right hands, and the two opponents that fit the description since Marquez – Joshua Clottey and Mosley – were far too gun shy to test him.

The odds are undoubtedly stacked against Marquez. The mash of styles and his penchant for surpassing expectations, however, allows for at least cautious optimism that this will contain some of the drama of the first two battles, and not be another flogging of a faded warrior handcuffed by ring wear.

A venerable foe and familiar face is welcome, for now. But patience is wearing thin.

Pacquiao's performance against Marquez an Indication of readiness for Mayweather Jr?

By Vitali Shaposhnikov: The following paragraphs are not only meant to express my own opinion, but to ask yours as well. Since there have probably been more articles on Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao than any other dream fight in the history of boxing, facts along with wild speculations blend into one big mess, allowing very little room for unbiased thought.

The following question came up in a conversation I recently had with a boxing enthusiast at a local bar where I live: “What if Juan Manuel Marquez gives Pacquiao a run for his money in their upcoming bout, and the fight ends up being much closer than most believe, will that indicate that since Mayweather Jr. was able to easily dismantle Marquez in their fight, he will do the same to Pacquaio if they ever meet inside the ring?” This was a pretty good and valid question, to which unfortunately there are two completely opposite possible answers of yes and no.

The YES: Despite the fact that Marquez is a smarter fighter as well as more technical one in his fights, both Pacquiao and him have one big stylistic commonality: they are both offensive boxers. Marquez and Pacquiao love to come in and trade anywhere in the ring, moving back only to readjust and change up the angle before coming back inside. Both fighters rarely come in with a single punch in mind, instead making it worth their while with multiple punch combinations upstairs as well as to the body. This way of boxing is Pacquiao’s bread and butter, as I have never seen him fight a patient fight. Marquez, as far back as I can remember, has always been the same fighter, with the same plan and identical execution. His ring IQ made all the difference in the world, as his ability to adjust turned the tables quickly, leaving his opposition in abandonment of their own game plan. There were multiple reasons why Marquez looked like a struggling amateur against Mayweather Jr., but one of the most important ones was the fact that Mayweather can fight real well off the back foot (something that neither Marquez nor Pacquiao have mastered in their careers). Jumping in and throwing a barrage of punches will land anyone in trouble against Floyd, as he quickly steps back and fires unbelievably accurate counters. We know that Pacquiao is not afraid of being hit, and that he is capable of keeping constant pressure for the entire fight if needed. Exactly this might end up being his downfall. If Marquez can give Pacquaio any trouble, and Pacquaio fights the same fight against Floyd, the Pacman will be chasing a ghost the entire night.

The NO: Styles make fights, and it’s the job of a good coach to re-mold their fighter into a properly adjusted boxer focused on the right plan. We have seen many fighters look a certain way in a given fight, only to come back completely different in a rematch. Game plans are mostly built on what the opponent is capable of, and how to take advantage of their mistakes. If for example your opposition poses no threat to your chin in terms of their punching power, a coach is likely to instruct you to get inside and knock them out. But if they are powerful yet slow, you might want to fight a more careful patient fight, pecking at them through the rounds. In case of Pacquiao and Mayweather Jr., Freddie Roach is the key to the solution. Being a master tactician, he concocts an individualistic game plan for every fight, giving Pacquiao just the right advice to take full advantage of the other fighter’s mistakes. Juan’s and Floyd’s fighting styles are on the opposite ends of the spectrum, thus I would expect Roach to plan accordingly. I wouldn’t necessarily be surprised to see a more reserved Pacquiao, although I feel that this style would play more against him rather than for him in any fight. I have been wrong many times about if and how Pacquiao was going to win, so my expectations and predictions on this man are no longer as solid as I used to think they were.

What do you think? Does it matter how Pacquiao performs against Marquez, and do you see it as an indication of his ability against Mayweather Jr.?

eastsideboxing.com

Manny Pacquiao is fading as a fighter?

(ThyBlackMan.com) I honestly don’t know what’s happened to WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KO’s). I’ve never seen an athlete slow down as much as I’ve seen Manny Pacquiao slow down in the past two years. He’s gone from jumping around like a young rabbit to fighting like a heavyweight carrying 100 pounds of sand in his trunks.

Manny Pacquiao, 32, is no longer jumping around and has become a total plodder. Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Marquez turns 38-years-old on August 23, which makes him another old guy that Pacquiao has faced in the past three years. Manny Pacquiao has fought 36-year-old Oscar De La Hoya, 39-year-old Shane Mosley and now 38-year-old Marquez.

That certainly gives Manny Pacquiao a big advantage when he’s matched up against fighters at or near the ends of their careers. However, I think Manny Pacquiao is going to be the older fighter in the Marquez bout. He’s 32 and soon to be 33, but fighting like a guy that is nearing 40. I don’t know what’s happened to Manny Pacquiao. Maybe it’s the power feeding they’re doing with him by having him eat 7000 calories a day during training camp. Whatever it is they need stop and try to rejuvenate him.

Believe me, Manny Pacquiao was far better before he started putting on weight and going overboard with the calories. But it could be just age rearing it’s ugly head and not the eating and or training. I’ve seen guys that when they turned 32, they looked and fought like a 40-year-old and vice versa.

Look at Tiger Woods. He’s only 35, but he’s totally lost it since two years ago. The reflexes seem to have gone and he’s playing terrible golf. I think we have the same thing with Manny Pacquiao. He’s just not the same fighter he once was, and I think Marquez is going to be the younger fighter November and cause a big upset.

Source: thyblackman.com