Manny ‘lacks old KO sting’; Ariza blames it on training short cuts

HOLLYWOOD—Dazzling as Manny Pacquiao’s demolition of Antonio Margarito was Saturday (Sunday in Manila), conditioning expert Alex Ariza still feels the pound-for-pound king could have knocked the Mexican out by the seventh or eighth rounds. But without the usual spring in his legs, Ariza said Pacquiao had to settle for a methodical 12-round unanimous decision that handed the Filipino pound-for-pound king a record eighth title in as many divisions. “You’re chopping down a big tree with a little ax,” said Ariza, noting that Margarito would have been knocked out if Pacquiao was in the same shape he was when he fought against Miguel Cotto or Joshua Clottey. Ariza said the big disparity in weight—Margarito entered the ring at 165 pounds, Pacquiao at 148—was also a factor.
“I think there’s a big difference in the ring, that’s why Manny got a little tired,” said Ariza. “I’ve never seen Manny get tired before.” Ariza said he was partly to blame for Pacquiao’s failure to achieve his old form. “I think, sometimes when you take shortcuts, there are lessons that you pay at the end. I knew he’s gonna win, but at what cost?” In earlier reports, Ariza said Pacquiao cut corners to reach peak form faster as his training was hampered by distractions at home. “If you make it one consistent seven-week trip and train the way we trained in the past, that fight is over in seven or eight rounds. “When Manny had him (Margarito) hurt and wobbled, he didn’t have it right. That’s when we really, really need it.”
But  Ariza said Pacquiao did enough against Margarito to beat even Floyd Mayweather Jr.  “If this is the Floyd fight, Manny would kill him,” said Ariza. “You’re not talking about that kind of pressure, that kind of weight, that kind of power, that kind of resiliency. Margarito would knock Floyd out in this fight. ” Photo by Associated Press