Freddie Roach scored it first for Manny Pacquiao when he honestly admitted how his most successful fighter, an eight-division world title winner, has lost his killer instinct.
Pacquiao, of course, knows this call by his mentor and trainer was not an accusation.
Instead, it’s a timely advice. It could also be a call on Pacquiao to refocus.
* * *
Pacquiao, this late, can no longer rekindle the live-coal fire in his eyes and explode rat-tat-tat style. But he definitely has more than enough left to come up with a most memorable performance in what promises to be the fight of the century in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 2.
This is not a suggestion for Pacquiao to slow down. He may no longer have all his original gifts, but he can wage war with the old ferocity-and more maturity!
It would be truly helpful if Pacquiao could also learn to make better adjustments-within a round.
* * *
It’s no secret how Floyd Mayweather Jr. has remained with his great gifts that allow him to make adjustments as many as three times within a round.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, would be very limited in this area, as manifested in his last outing against the over-decorated Chris Algieri in Macau last November.
Of course, Freddie Roach was not about to tell Pacquiao to try and recall in full his original stormy style of attacking. By honestly announcing Pacquiao has lost his killer instinct, it could also be a suggestion for his prized warrior not to rely solely on his kamikaze jumping style which had resulted in that horribly humiliating knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in December 2012.
* * *
Pacquiao need not be told to try and box better (than brawl) if he hopes to keep up with Mayweather.
He had displayed a long-hidden defensive ability with greater foot movement in his comeback fight against Brandon Rios in 2011.
What remains to be seen is if Pacquiao could also come up with skillful elusive shift and swing of his head, which could also dazzle his supremely evasive unbeaten opponent.
Here, better ring management will be a must.
Or can Pacquiao, this late, still do this?
**
(HONEST LYING?: Was old-time promoter Bob Arum being straight to the point when he announced that “lies by members of the Manila” media had impeded negotiations for the Mayweather-Pacquiao? Wasn’t it a case of the (allegedly) venerable matchmaker pointing an accusing finger at himself?)