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Friday, November 13, 2009

Manny Pacquiao on a mission

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LAS VEGAS - Manny Pacquiao, or at least his image, is everywhere these days.

It’s on the cover of the Asian edition of Time magazine, a blow-up of which is on an easel in the corner of the press room at the MGM Grand as if it’s a work of art. Considering how difficult it has been in recent years to get a boxing article even in Time’s sister publication, Sports Illustrated, one can see why people think so.

He’s on the front page of the Sunday New York Times [NYT] sports section, which apparently rediscovered boxing existed this week after its sports editor took a public lambasting from HBO Boxing analyst Larry Merchant. The story makes Pacquiao sound like the savior of a nation.

He’s in The Wall Street Journal as the financial engine reviving the oft-buried but never quite dead fight game, and on the Jimmy Kimmel Show singing a ballad like the Filipino version of Andy Williams.

Oh, and tomorrow night, in case anyone forgets to mention it, he’ll be in the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena performing his real job - boxing better than anyone else in the world.

Pacquiao will be trying to win what, through the use of the kind of loose accounting practices that got the world economy into its present straits, is being billed as a record seventh world title. If Pacquiao does, he will have gone from a 112-pound flyweight title holder to a champion in a division 35 pounds heavier. He will also have fulfilled the expectations of most boxing experts, who feel his speed and power is intersecting with WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto’s physical decline in a perfectly concussive parabola.

Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KO) is a delightful fellow, an unusual blend of geniality outside the ring and ferocity in it. He never has a bad word to say about his opponents but that doesn’t dissuade him from brutally dismissing them with a powerful left hand and a sweeping right hook that is a relatively new addition to his arsenal.

Couple that with speed and a strong willingness to engage in hand-to-hand combat at the ringing of a bell, and you have the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world - and the most popular.

Yet his kind of popularity is a double edged sword.

While it has made him wealthy beyond any dreams he had when he ran away from a life of poverty in General Santos City at 14 after his father ate his dog, it has also brought great feelings of responsibility for his many countrymen still in desperate economic straits.

He has given away so much money his promoter, Bob Arum, says he may have to fight until he’s 50, while his trainer, Dedham native Freddie Roach, needs a full-time security detail at his Wild Card Gym in Hollywood during the weeks Pacquiao trains there because the crowds are so large they can’t get anything done otherwise.

“Manny’s a throwback,” Roach said. “He’s like a Henry Armstrong type. You don’t have fighters like that today that move up in weight like this to win championships in all these different weight divisions.

“He’s carrying his punch and his power with him along with his speed. He’s passing people like Sugar Ray Leonard, who was a six-time world champion. He’s on a level of the top five fighters of all time.”

Arum and HBO hope the magnitude of the challenge and Pacquiao’s popularity will drive pay-per-view sales over a million. Early indications hint they could approach 1.4 million, which was a record for a non-heavyweight fight until Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. did 2.4 million two years ago.

Considering that only 25 fights in boxing history have done over a million buys, it would be a remarkable feat that harkens back to the climate for boxing 25 years ago, in the days of Leonard, Hearns, Hagler and Duran.

“Even Mike Tyson didn’t have the drawing power that Manny has right now,” Roach said. “The way Manny arrived the other day people were swarming to try and get a touch or a look at him.”

Tomorrow night, only one man will be trying to touch him, however, and it will be someone who couldn’t care less about his place in boxing history or in the eyes of his countrymen. The most popular fighter in the world hasn’t lost sight of that, which in his job is a good thing.

“This fight is a challenge,” Pacquiao said. “Cotto is a good fighter and a hard puncher. But I’m confident in my ability. I always believe in my power.”

Inside the ring or out, he’s earned the right to feel that way.

Source: bostonherald.com

10 comments:

  1. The only mision that Pacman has is going to the hospital after the fight.

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  2. yes i agree, to visit cotto in the hospital bed.

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  3. Cotto is going to win. Pacman to the hospital with a bad beat up.

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  4. jacob sepulveda is a bitch.

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  5. Why it hurt if I say a truth. Read all the coments in all the articule. And also if a had I friend, and he is going to help and put me in a closet and talk how he help me really thats not a freind. Then says that person is important for me. I do not think thats correct. Cotto is going to win.

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  6. Good job, Manny Pacquiao! Wohoooo!

    Respect to Cotto for giving a good fight and a sportsman.

    Congrats to Team Pacquiao - Sir Freddie Roach, Alex Ariza, everybody in that team (sorry I don't know all your names)!

    Manny is now the ONLY boxer in history to wIn 7 world boxing titles! HE IS A LEGEND.

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  7. looking for sex,,,09264711315,,

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  8. Hellllllllllllllooooooo Mr Jacob.... I told you Cotto will be in the hospital bed. Manny paid a visit to him, harharhar.

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  9. Easy fight for Pacman. He can connect at Cotto at will the WHOLE round and even can take Cotto's punches.

    Talking w/ Cotto's punching speed:
    Cotto is too SLOOOW for Pacman. I expected that Cotto will be slow
    but when i watch the fight. Cotto is much MORE SLOW than i expected.
    Cotto's had come against speedy opponents before and beat them.
    But Pacman is different.
    Pacman has the speed and ACCURACY w/ his punches. not just punches but LOTS of punches.
    If Pacman had the speed and accuracy then he can deliver effectively his firepower.
    Or trade punches.
    "you give me 1 power punch then i trade with 3 power punches"
    then whose the winner?
    it may not be a knockdown but still earning points.
    Win by knockdown or by decision is just the same. Its still a win!

    As everyone says,
    Cotto throws his knockout punch this Sunday
    This punch will expected to land on Tuesday.
    That too slow!
    Coz compare to Pacman, he throws his knockout punch today and it will expected to land on the same day.
    One point in a fight about mid and late rounds Pacman urges Cotto to trade punches.
    Like "Common bring it on" Common lets trade punches!
    as Cotto start moving away from Pacman around the ring. (back bicycle)
    I can read Cotto's face saying:
    No NO NO, Im losing the trade of punches! I can't take it any more! I need to survive till 12 rounds"

    Talking w/ Cotto's power:
    I notice Pacman at one point of a time just dare to take punches from Cotto,
    Pacman is not insane!
    because he knows that he can take those or trade to Cotto's punches.

    Talking about Cotto's chin:
    BEFORE the fight i predict this fight will be winning by decision. No knockdowns.
    As both sides can take strong punches and a had a thin chance of a knockdown.

    DURING the fight I never Expect this and i hate to say, but Cotto's has been knocked down by Manny!
    A legitimate knockdown (not a slip!) that make Cotto's hit his gloves in the canvass.
    Where's the durable chin now?

    During Cotto's knockdown:
    I can see at Cotto's face saying,
    "this is not a joke! He's got the EFFECTIVE combination and SPEEED to deliver his firepower,
    Manny is too slippery for me. I CAN't hit him with better shots. How can i deliver my own firepower?"
    The last question is the Big question fo Cotto!

    Talking w/ Cotto's jabs:
    I found Cotto's jabs more strong, efficient and stingy. but it's not that effective against a moving
    target like Pacman. It would hit Manny, and yes it stunned Pacman, several times during the fight.
    but jabs cannot knockdown a boxer like Pacman. Be REAL!
    Cotto's needs not just jabs and combinations to deliver his power
    but jab and GOOD EFFECTIVE combination.
    This is a trainers job..

    Cotto's Trainer:
    Manny has a good trainer than Cotto.
    Roach has more experience in teaching Manny what is the most EFFECTIVE combination.
    Like selecting the right weapon in the fight. Cotto's trainer doesnt have.
    Somebody still dont know that boxing is also a mind game and teamwork.
    Chances of winning starts at the training camp and finishes in the ring! its a team effort.

    Manny training camp has the right people to unleash his strenght against his opponents.
    Cotto had two trainers. you may 2, 5, 10 trainers. but are they the right ones?
    Experience had serve at it's BEST!

    PACMAN has:
    SPEED - Before The fight Cotto still underestimate this advantages of Pacman.
    Cotto believes that he beat speedy opponents before.

    But he forget to consider that together with speed theres something else after the word:

    SPEED w/ ACCURACY

    SPEED w/ STAMINA to SUSTAIN

    SPEED w/ ADJUSTMENT (type of opponent)

    SPEED w/ POWER

    and it KILLS!
    you may had the firepower but sluggishnes and imprecise where to hit your target is not effective boxing.
    you can take and TOLERATE those accurate and power punches
    You can stand on power punches.
    you have a durable chin for power punches.
    but this is not the way of winning a round in boxing.
    Others may say that its also effective in tiring your opponents.
    BUT PACMAN is a promising 12 rounder boxer!

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