Belated Thoughts From Texas
After finally getting around to watching the Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito fight including undercard, here are a few notes, and indeed feelings, on what went down in Arlington:
Since the fight I’ve heard nothing but good things about both the contest and Pacquiao’s performance, I even caught one of the top brass at work claiming it was one of the best fights he’d ever seen (think the American’s would term it a “water cooler moment”). I’m not sure, therefore, whether the fact that I felt a tad underwhelmed in the aftermath, is my natural cantankerous streak coming into play or something else entirely.
I have to admit I’m slightly perplexed at how Pacquiao manages to punch as often and as hard as he does at the advanced boxing age of 31. The only fighter I’ve witnessed footage of who could fight at such an intense clip was “The Hawk”, Aaron Pryor. At 27, the Cincinatti windmill was a good few years younger than Pacquiao when he famously flailed his way to victory over Alexis Arguello, whilst he hadn’t engaged in nearly as many tough battles as the Filipino has (Pryor had only been fighting professionally for 6 years leading up to his first war with the great Nicaraguan).
Pacquiao’s ability to place power behind every one of his punches is startling. Again, looking for a historical predecessor who has even vaguely managed to fight in such a manner leads me to the young Shane Mosley, who pioneered a form of “power boxing” during his lightweight reign in the late 90’s (whirling dervishes such as Pryor and a more modern example, Joe Calzaghe, tended to overwhelm more than overpower). Mosley harnessed the ability to swat hard throughout speedy, multi-punch combinations, an asset which carried him to his signature win over Oscar De la Hoya in 2000.
Not only does Pacquiao possess a frightening workrate, he compounds this by showing constant movement, never sitting still for an instant. I’d have to suggest that he is the fittest and most industrious fist fighter who has ever lived, more so even than the perpetual punching machine that was Henry Armstrong.
It is also amazing how he has carried the excess mass he has attracted since leaving super featherweight in March 2008. Tall and lean fighters such as Bernard Hopkins, Thomas Hearns and Paul Williams seem to have more frame to pad out. At just 5’6 ½”, the scientific manner in which Alex Ariza has managed to pack on muscle whilst leaving Pacquiao without any excess baggage is miraculous.
The Filipino icon operates on an entirely different physical plain to most other fighters from history; he is the equivalent in athletics of the great Haile Gebrselassie managing to compete for the podium in the 100 metres.
There are those who have levelled accusations of drug use at Pacquiao, namely those with a vested interest in discrediting his achievements. The Mayweather clan have been openly vocal in their criticism, with Floyd Snr. explaining this week that he’d be concerned for his son’s life should he tangle with Manny. During training camp, Team Margarito implied similar accusations, exhibiting posters advising Pacquiao to “Just Say No To Steroids” during camp.
Strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza was quoted on RingTV.com rebuffing such views, “It’s a compliment, we’re doing such a good job, people just can’t understand it. They think it has to be something else. It HAS to be. People think overnight he (Pacquiao) turned into this relentless monster. But it took him two years to get to this point. The truth is that it’s just hard work, and we have a great team. We’re building a body that normally doesn’t carry that kind of muscle on it. Putting on six pounds on a guy like Manny Pacquiao is like putting on 20 pounds on a normal person. That’s why when he takes his shirt off at the weigh in and he looks so ripped, people think he’s on steroids.”
Two years to turn into a relentless monster is still pretty good going. One would feel altogether more comfortable in lavishing praise upon such outstanding feats if “The Pacman” would acquiesce to the type of random testing Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley agreed to before their bout earlier in the year. It would finally hush the murmering Ariza speaks about.
Bewilderment over physical performance aside, the fight was too one sided to have been a great spectacle, although, Margarito’s courage was commendable. On another night and against another opponent, the Mexican’s fitness and determination may have carried him to a significant win. Against Pacquiao, though, he was in with a unique force.
The last couple of performances from the Filipino haven’t added much to his legend as far as I can gather. I’d be keen to see him tackle the lightweight king Juan Manuel Marquez next up (should he manage to get beyond Michael Katsidis) rather than the remnants of Shane Mosley. With his superior chin and fighting heart, Mosley could catch a distressing beating if he should mix with Pacquiao at this stage of his career.
Onto the undercard and I really felt it for Jesus Soto Karass, who was totally jobbed against welterweight contender Mike Jones. Rounds 3 to 8 seemed clear cut sessions for the Mexican underdog and judge Sergio Caiz’s card (97-93 for Jones) in particular was rotten.
On a brighter note, a portly official and the crusty looking judge who resembled Mr. Magoo as he squinted up at the action from ringside, took a shower in Karass’s blood in the closing round whcih caused them no end of distress. I’m sure after the cards were announced, Karass felt like drenching them in an entirely different type of bodily fluid.
Should Bob Arum still fancy a trip over to Blighty next year to match Jones with Kell Brook as he has suggested, then the Sheffield starlet would appear to have all of the tools to allow for a field day with the Philadelphian. That’s under the proviso that Brook holds a shot of course, something we’ve yet to discover thanks to Warren’s careful matchmaking.
Guillermo Rigondeaux might be in a race against time to land big bouts, but the evidence from the Ricardo Cordoba victory suggets he’s a good way away from actually being able to win them should he do so.
The eerie blue hue surrounding spectators in the fabulous Cowboys Stadium makes for a unique spectacle whilst the cross section of ringsiders in attendance spoke volumes about Pacquiao’s incredible popularity.
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