Pacquiao’s power still there, but not the same—experts

His power is still there, but it’s just not the same anymore.

So Manny Pacquiao can’t take chances against a tough Floyd Mayweather Jr. in their May 2 megabout.

“Against a formidable opponent like [Floyd] Mayweather, he cannot take chances,” Philippine Daily Inquirer’s news editor, also a veteran sportswriter, Jun Engracia said in episode 1 of Fighting Words: Pacquiao vs Mayweather.

READ: Fighting Words episode 1: Does Manny Pacquiao still have power, killer instinct?

Engracia together with Inquirer Sports Editor Teddyvic Melendres, assistant Sports Editor Francis Ochoa, Bandera Sports Editor Fred Nasia, and Inquirer Libre editor-in-chief Chito dela Vega dissected Pacquiao’s upcoming mega fight against Mayweather in what is considered as this era’s greatest fight in a series of roundtable discussions.

READ: Fighting Words: Pacquiao vs Mayweather, a roundtable discussion

“If he can knock Mayweather out with one punch in one round, he can do that.”

Engracia, who covered the historic “Thrilla in Manila” fight between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali in 1975 at Smart Araneta Coliseum, added that there is still that trademark power in Pacquiao but people cannot expect the WBO Welterweight Champion to have the same power he had during his fights with Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya.

Pacquiao ultimately ushered Hatton and De La Hoya to retirement when he knocked out the Brit in just two rounds and pummeled De La Hoya so badly that the Golden Boy lost his luster.

Melendres, for his part, relayed his conversation with boxing commentator Larry Merchant where the veteran ring voice said Pacquiao is at his deadliest at super featherweight.

“After the lightweight division, the power is still there, but he has tougher opponents,” Melendres said. “Now he has a harder time in the welterweight zone.”

Melendres also said that Mayweather, on the other hand, “is not a knockout puncher.”

“He doesn’t have that punch that can bring down opponents.”

For Nasiad, Pacquiao still has the killer instinct that made him boxing’s most exciting fighter.

“He’ll go for the knockout, that killer instinct is still there.”

Ochoa, though, believes that the killer instinct is not an issue. In fact, Pacquiao’s underdog status coming into the fight it will only motivate the eight-division World Champion.

READ: Pacquiao: Killer instinct back

Ochoa, who is part of Inquirer’s five-man team to the US covering the training camps and the Fight of the Century, added that it’s almost impossible to still have a devastating power while moving up weight classes and aging in the process.

For Pacquiao, that power is still with him.

“The fact is, he’s still hurting opponents. It’s more of the size of his opponents [that he has less knockouts],” Ochoa said. “Power is always there.”

WATCH:
Episode 1: Does Manny Pacquiao still have power, killer instinct?

Episode 2: Does Pacquiao need a knockout to win over Mayweather?

Episode 3: Will Mayweather open up or be on the defensive against Pacquiao?

Episode 4: Does Floyd Mayweather Jr. have the power to KO Manny Pacquiao?

Episode 5: WATCH: Will Pacquiao, Mayweather give fans their money’s worth on May 2?