Pacquiao in training

This is from www.ringtalk.com (a very good site with video interviews and a radio talk show) by pedro fernandez MANNY PACQUIAO AKA THE HOTTEST FIGHTER TODAY Judging from the response his appearance caused this past Sunday on “Ring Talk Radio,” I’d be hard pressed to find a fighter hotter than current World featherweight king Manny Pacquiao. And even though “Pac-Man” is the Muhammad Ali of Philippine boxing, I’ve come to realize that his fan base is not relegated to his native country as his having the #1 website among boxers clearly illustrates that “Pac-Man” fever is international! CHAMPION READIES SELF FOR LAS VEGAS PPV SHOW This is the first of a series of articles we will be doing on Manny Pacquiao as he enters uncharted waters come March 19. Uncharted waters? That’s right, seeing Manny will ascend four pounds from the featherweight limit of 126 lbs. to 130, all to engage former champion Erik “El Terrible” Morales in an HBO Pay Per View presentation emanating from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Having visited Pacquiao (Pak-yow) last week as he prepares for Morales at Freddie Roach’s “Wildcard Gym” in Hollywood, CA, I came away having learned a few things about the man boxing fans call “Pac-Man!” MORE TOOLS THAN JUST THE WICKED LEFT! Pacquiao is “not” one-dimensional. Having believed that that the Filipino had lived entirely off his sometimes lightning-like southpaw left crosses and leads, Manny seemingly went to work on top-notch sparring partner “Sugar Ray” Beltran in an attempt to prove me wrong. Speaking of Beltran, his professional log that stands 16-2 with 8 KO’s. The Mexican living in Phoenix has been active with four wins in 2004, with the last coming in December when he posted a Unanimous Decision in six. BELTRAN AN “EL TERRIBLE” CLONE OF SORTS An Orthodox (right handed) fighter who at 5’8 mirrors Erik Morales in both height and physical stature, Beltran was for the better part of his career a member of the famed Kronk Boxing Gym in Detroit, MI. Realizing his job was to get Manny in shape, Beltran told me he wasn’t giving Manny a free ride. “Pacquiao needs me to be at my best. I came here in shape and have been sparring hard with him. We have great respect for each other, but when we spar things can get a little crazy. Freddie (Roach) doesn’t let it go too out of hand.” “PAC-MAN” MANIA LIKE TAKES OVER HOLLYWOOD! After both Pacquiao and Beltran shook out and stretched, the pair shadowboxed for four heats to warm up. At that point, out came the gloves, headgear, and the Vaseline! Wearing blue shoes embroidered with “Pac” & “Man” on opposite sides, the crowd of better than 150 consisted mostly of those afflicted with “Pac-Man” fever, and “Wildcard Gym” members. Beltran and Pacquiao touch gloves and the gym fight is on! BOTH MEN KNOW THEIR OBJECTIVES! From the beginning of these three-minute sessions of battle, the strategy of both men was clear. For Beltran, he knew that Pacquiao would be coming at him hard. “Manny is real strong early. Stronger than anybody around our weight,” said the 23-year old who also competes at 130 lbs. “Manny will come hard and I’ve got to do the same to keep him off. To keep my elbows in tight, especially the left as Manny likes to come with the southpaw (right) hook to the body.” WATCHING THE “ROACH” STRATEGY BEING APPLIED Giving up approximately about the same amount of height with “Sugar Ray” as he will with the elongated Morales, Manny comes out relaxed, at least for the first 20 seconds. That was when the “Manila Stalker” took a step towards Beltran, this before dipping to his right as a right hand sails over Pacquiao’s left shoulder. All in one move, “Pac-Man” is in position to throw his right hook. With his elbow in position, Beltran would block the first Pacquiao punch with bad intentions on it. MANNY SHOWS PATIENCE AND WILL! But as the session wore on, and with only 30-seconds rest periods in between stanzas, Pacquiao began to impose his will on Beltran. Landing with the right hook, to both the body and head, these punches Manny began to connect with had increased leverage, power, this as the “Pac-Man” held his “money” punch, the left cross and lead in abeyance. And just as I was scribbling a note about Manny not using the left, there went the cross that landed squarely on the chin of Beltran, who took it well. “SUGAR RAY” LOOKING TO MOVE UNNATURALLY! With Beltran now looking to move to his right, instead of what is the norm to his left, Manny began catching him time and again with the left. Realizing he was fighting a bit stiff, Beltran began to move his head in an attempt to escape the “money” punch that is the left cross and lead. But as Beltran adjusted, so did the champion from the Philippines. After missing twice in succession, this after right jabs, Pacquiao picked up on the fact that Beltran’s chin was on the move. And instead of shooting those straight lefts and crosses at Beltran’s chin, Manny had lowered the target zone some six to eight inches. PACQUIAO ADJUSTS CANNONS AS TARGET DOES! Firing shots at the sternum area of Beltran, Manny Pacquiao couldn’t miss! Once Pacquiao got the left landing at a pretty good clip, he went back to working on single, double, and triple right hooks. With “Sugar Ray’s” left side getting pounded by the hooks, Manny then went back to working on the left cross AKA that “money” punch! Following Beltran, Justin Juuko stepped between the ropes and without much rest (20 seconds?), Juuko and Manny were slinging leather back and forth at each other. COULD “EL TERRIBLE” HANDLE THIS HEAT? Utterly impressive in almost every facet of his game, I wondered how would Erik Morales deal with this obviously well conditioned Pacquiao? Unlike the fighter that fought Juan Manuel Marquez last May, “Pac-Man” wasn’t sucking air or looking tired after seven rounds of almost continuous sparring. Reason being, this time Manny did not come to camp to lose a lot of weight, as was the case for the May 2004 fight with Marquez.