Li’l things mean a lot in biggest fight

MICHAEL Koncz, Manny Pacquiao’s chief aide, tried to downplay reports that the Filipino boxing superhero had suffered leg cramps. The denial was all to be expected. However, a subsequent report on Pacquiao’s bothersome legs said Freddie Roach has admitted they’ve been dealing with the issue.

“I wasn’t too happy about it,” Roach was quoted by Sean Wagner-McGough of CBS Sports as saying about the $1,800 antiswelling cream approved by the Usada for Pacquiao’s calves.

Roach said they’ve been doing their best to remedy the situation.

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Meanwhile, Roach on Friday told veteran sportswriter Eddie Alinea he was the least concerned about the cramps, claiming Pacquiao just shook his legs and the problem went away.

“Nothing to worry about,” Pacquiao himself told Alinea.

Those who claim that Pacquiao draws magical power from his bulbous calves, like American writer Gary Andrew Poole of Time International, who had visited General Santos City, could only pray the legs of the eight-division world title winner, which had bothered him in few previous fights before his KO loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012, would be in perfect condition come May 2 in Las Vegas.

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Travis Thomas of CBS Baltimore says Pacquiao has assured he would be more than ready to deal with the fabled defense of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“If it’s defense he will be relying on, I can say this early that we are ready, by planning on how to break his defense. We at the same time know how to attack him and score,” Pacquiao explained.

There’s no need to elaborate on Pacquiao’s pressure whirlwind offensive, which he’s expected to apply in a bid to overwhelm and overthrow the unbeaten world pound-for-pound boxing king.

However, there were those who felt Pacquiao should also be more specific on how he would come up with a defense of his own, knowing Mayweather would also attack and try to score, in order not to be overrun by his fierce fire-breathing rival.

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Pacquiao, based on pronouncements, cannot be expected to treat Mayweather as an ordinary opponent, but as an enemy.

“I want to teach him a lesson, we are nothing without God,” Pacquiao had stated recently.

How the anger factor finally plays out would be specified only inside the boxing ring on May 2.

Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports earlier in the week said chief sparmate Zab Judah, a southpaw like Pacquiao, had knocked out Mayweather with a body shot in training.

The report expectedly spread like wildfire.

On Friday, Judah vehemently denied the alleged incident in the Las Vegas Mayweather camp.

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(ELORDE’S ELDEST: Malou Elorde, eldest daughter of the late boxing great Gabriel Elorde, passed away in Las Vegas on March 12 after  a bout with cancer. She will be interred at the Manila Memorial Park today. The family requests donations to the Sta. Rita orphanage, instead of flowers.)