Bare Eye
Pacquiao: Beware of the intangibles
By Recah Trinidad
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:56:00 09/02/2008
MANILA, Philippines—Freddie Roach punched hard and scored when he swore that Manny Pacquiao, though smaller, will be stronger and faster than the taller Oscar De La Hoya.
There’s no reason to doubt Mr. Roach.
He’s a truly tested trainer, maybe the best the beak-busting sport has in its excited ring today.
Roach may indeed have a point in declaring that the Golden Boy could no longer pull the trigger.
De La Hoya, as expected, readily brushed off the Roach dig as hogwash.
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My beer money again goes to Pacquiao in this next one.
But before I place my bet—there were more than enough kababayans in the marketplace itching to wager on Oscar—one thing has got to be cleared.
OK, we did make a few bucks on Pacquiao in his past fights but, just to make sure our Mexican friends don’t get even or gain the upper hand, we would beg Roach for some assurance.
For example, in gleefully detailing De La Hoya’s age-related deficiencies, didn’t Roach also overlook Pacquiao’s basic defects?
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This is not to cast doubt on Pacquiao’s ability to slash and stupefy his foes.
He has more than proven this terrifying trait and, in fact, patented the sensational style.
But, boxing being a sport of give-and-take, one thing has got to be cleared.
Will Pacquiao be ready and able to duck and avoid half the number of punches he’s expected to receive when he squares off with De La Hoya at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Dec. 6?
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Pacquiao die-hards would be quick to claim that the Pacman’s sensational speed, his storm-like offensive, should overwhelm the foe and readily cover up for whatever defensive sharpness he lacks.
If in basketball, it would be equal to offense being a great defense.
Of course, it’s also easy to suspect that these same fans based their prognosis on Pacquiao’s last outing in Las Vegas.
Yes, the one where Pacquiao scored a big one for Filipino nobility before the world when he first tried to help the fallen David Diaz get up while forgetting to readily acknowledge the amazed crowd.
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It could indeed be a walk in the park for Pacquiao if, say, De La Hoya turns out to be a cousin of Diaz.
Problem is he’s not.
Diaz is a statue, a dud of a champ who just stood there paralyzed when the going got rough.
De La Hoya, on the other hand, is a living monument.
And he can only be expected to either jumpstart or fire back in order to live up to his legend on fight night.
Roach is right. Oscar may no longer be able to swing it like in the old times.
But, at the same time, Oscar will not allow himself to be stalled and puzzled, the way he often appeared in his big outing against Floyd Mayweather last year.
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How and why?
Pacquiao cannot be Mayweather in the same manner that Diaz cannot be De La Hoya.
Much as he likes it, Pacquiao cannot be as slippery, as unpredictable as the fighter he succeeded as the world pound-for-pound champ.
Yes, Oscar may no longer be the same sharp gunslinger but he won’t tarry and hesitate to fire at an open, predictable target this time out.
Said Rod Nazario, the guru who charted Pacquiao’s path to superstardom, in an exclusive talk with Nick Giongco of the Bulletin: “It’s not going to be easy (for Pacquiao) because De La Hoya will stick out his left hand to keep Manny at bay. This is going to be tough.”
Add to that the fact that the smaller Pacquiao, in a bid to connect, will have to wade in hard and in the process fall prey to counterpunching, which De La Hoya has mastered.
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All told, Pacquiao could enhance his chances at beating the bigger, taller, more experienced De La Hoya if he works harder on improving his defense.
Other than learn to roll with the punches, he should also avoid dropping his guard whenever he attacks.
OK, he cannot hope to be as elusive, if not invisible, as the great Floyd Mayweather.
Still Pacquiao could scale awesome heights if he comes prepared to put his chin against the rocky precipice.
If Pacquiao, however, shows up half prepared in defense as he did against Juan Manuel Marquez earlier in the year, he’d find a bigger enemy in himself than he would in De La Hoya.
All told, Pacquiao still has time to work and unlearn the intangibles which, in the end, could spell victory or defeat for the greatest Filipino boxer of all time.
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