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I look at Guzman as a sort of Hamed with less power (now that he's at 130lbs.) And I'm thinking that a Pacquiao-Guzman fight shall see a different Pacquiao. Manny has to adjust to Joan's style, something he has proven very capable of doing in very subtle ways from fight to fight.
Against Guzman, I anticipate that Pacquiao shall show less of the left straight and the right hook (Manny's version of the orthodox left hook), and expect more crisp jabs which he has not shown much of in recent fights but was part of his arsenal in his younger days.
I think Manny will fight Guzman like Marco fought Hamed. And in as much as Pacquiao is quicker, he'll be able to out-Marco Marco Antonio Barrera.
I know some will smirk reading this thinking that Manny cannot be Marco because Paquiao only has power and does not have the ring savvy. To that I respond: Pacquiao's ring savvy is among the most underestimated of his ring gifts. His punches may have the subtlety of a ball wrecker but his savvy takes moments to discern. It is there nonetheless. Note his changes of pace in several rounds in the two Morales fights where he was not bothered by a cut. He sometimes kept his distance then exploded. In Wu Shu, that's part of the Yin-Yang dichotomy: slow-fast, rest-explode. Notice too how he slipped away from further danger in those fights and against Larios when caught near the ropes. A Paquiao caught that way is imprinted in most memories as an event when Pacquiao was in some kind of trouble. It is not recalled as a moment when he showed he can get out of trouble. The latter is an ommission that does not lend well to understanding the total Pacquiao package atop the ring.
Power can only get one so far; savvy is what one needs in order to stay at the top against top quality opposition. Part of savvy is not only to stay out of trouble but also to get out of trouble when one finds oneself in trouble. Even better savvy is when one is able to take advantage of troublesome situations and reverse them to one's benefit, e.g., the first KD in the second Morales fight when Morales caught Pacquiao along the ropes but was instead pummeled to the floor. Manny has shown he has that quality, although many who focus on his power miss it.
Manny is at the top. And, some experts say, he's not yet at the top of his game. That's scary.
Edit[B] I don't think Manny shall be looking out to KO Guzman... unless he again contracts a fever... you know what I mean.
Against Guzman, I anticipate that Pacquiao shall show less of the left straight and the right hook (Manny's version of the orthodox left hook), and expect more crisp jabs which he has not shown much of in recent fights but was part of his arsenal in his younger days.
I think Manny will fight Guzman like Marco fought Hamed. And in as much as Pacquiao is quicker, he'll be able to out-Marco Marco Antonio Barrera.
I know some will smirk reading this thinking that Manny cannot be Marco because Paquiao only has power and does not have the ring savvy. To that I respond: Pacquiao's ring savvy is among the most underestimated of his ring gifts. His punches may have the subtlety of a ball wrecker but his savvy takes moments to discern. It is there nonetheless. Note his changes of pace in several rounds in the two Morales fights where he was not bothered by a cut. He sometimes kept his distance then exploded. In Wu Shu, that's part of the Yin-Yang dichotomy: slow-fast, rest-explode. Notice too how he slipped away from further danger in those fights and against Larios when caught near the ropes. A Paquiao caught that way is imprinted in most memories as an event when Pacquiao was in some kind of trouble. It is not recalled as a moment when he showed he can get out of trouble. The latter is an ommission that does not lend well to understanding the total Pacquiao package atop the ring.
Power can only get one so far; savvy is what one needs in order to stay at the top against top quality opposition. Part of savvy is not only to stay out of trouble but also to get out of trouble when one finds oneself in trouble. Even better savvy is when one is able to take advantage of troublesome situations and reverse them to one's benefit, e.g., the first KD in the second Morales fight when Morales caught Pacquiao along the ropes but was instead pummeled to the floor. Manny has shown he has that quality, although many who focus on his power miss it.
Manny is at the top. And, some experts say, he's not yet at the top of his game. That's scary.
Edit[B] I don't think Manny shall be looking out to KO Guzman... unless he again contracts a fever... you know what I mean.
funny **** right there....
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