By Michael Marley

One key ingredient in the phenomenal success of Manny Pacquiao that I think often goes unnoticed is the proper division of labor.

Pacquiao, he does the fighting.

Coach Freddie Roach is the boss of all boxing-related issues, including selection of sparring partners.

Alex Ariza concentrates on conditioning and nutrition.

Adviser Mike Koncz and lawyer Franklin Gacal handle assorted matters per Manny.

But it's the stellar sparring that Pacquiao has at his camp in Baguio which reminds me of how Muhammad Ali and master trainer Angelo Dundee operated the same way back in the day.

After a shocking loss to Neon Leon Spinks in Las Vegas, a kid with just eight pro bouts under his belt, the Ali camp regrouped.

As time passes, people forget that Spinks won a split decision in that bout. Clearly, he deserved a unanimous verdict. When Rahaman Ali loudly complained in the dressing room, Muhammad told him to shut up.

Ali knew he did not steal that decision.

The rematch was set for New Orleans and Dundee and Ali spared no expense bringing in the finest, youngest and fastest heavyweights extant, including future world champions Michael Dokes, Greg Page and Tony Tubbs to bang gloves with Ali.
They were three of a kind--Dokes, Page and Tubbs--and I watched as, day after day, Ali would lay on the ropes and let the youngsters bang away as he covered up.

Ali looked like he was retooling the old Rope A Dope startegy which surprised Big George Foreman in Zaire.

But that really wasn't the case, Ali's pins, meaning his legs, were shotski, baby. He was racing downhill fast and it first showed graphically on Sept. 29, 1977, when thunderous hitter Earnie Shavers lost on points after 15 rounds but landed numerous shots, the kind that Ali could formerly slip by a fraction of an inch.

Actually, in retrospect, it can be said that Dokes, Page and Tubbs were all more talented than the gritty Spinks and, when Ali let loose in the Superdome in the rematch, he gave Spinks a spanking.

It didn't help that there was so much confusion in Spinks' corner that chief strategist George Benton strolled out of the arena after the third round.

"Where you going?" I asked Prof. Benton.

"I"ll be at the bar, Hyatt Regency," Benton said.

The amazing crowd of 63,350 did not know about Benton's exit until many hours after the walkout. No one had an IPhone or computer acces on Sept. 15, 1978.

While other reporters chased Ali and, to a lesser extent Spinks, I was perched on a barstool collecting Benton's inside story of the idiocy in the Spinks corner.

Now it's Pacman who has some young aces throwing punches at him, particularly Amir Khan and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

Neither one is an Antonio Margarito clone nor are they supposed to be.

But Prof. Roach brought them in because they are also under his wing and they are tall and fast, certainly quicker than Margarito is at this stage.

A fighter as accomplished as Pacman could get by by using some two legged punching bags for sparring. He would probably save some money also.

But going the cheap route would mean failing to prepare and, perhaps, preparing to fail.

I'm sure Pacquiao won't be laying on the ropes asborbing blow after blow like the older Ali did in New Orleans.

No, he will trying to rip the head off the British star and the Mexican hero. And vice versa.

Just as Larry Holmes literally learned the ropes as an Ali sparmate for the "Thrilla In Manila," Khan and Chavez are earning their stripes.

Now can you name one Margarito sparring partner of any fame or acclaim?

Me, neither.

The stellar sparring partners should pay real benefits for Pacquiao on the night of Nov. 13.

Just like Ali's pack of young lions helped him win the rematch against Spinks.

It's all about the proper division of labor.

And letting the fistic expert, Brother Roach, choose the hired hands.

Michael Marley is the national boxing examiner for examiner.com. To read more stories by Michael Marley, Click Here.