There has been rumors of pound-for-pound kingpin Manny Pacquiao not taking preparations seriously enough for his November 14 encounter against Miguel Cotto. And if the talk is coming from Freddie Roach himself, there seems to be little reason to dismiss the talks as pure anti-Pacquiao blabber.
Just a few months ago, Roach complained that Pacquiao was unreachable, literally. His mobile phone was turned off and he was irked that he could not get a hold of his best boxer. While trying his best to reel in Pacquiao, the fish was busy planning commercials and pictorials. Too busy running the city atop a pick-up trruck. Too busy shaking hands with people. When he finally decided to train, he chose to stay in Baguio instead of flying to the US just like he used to. Although it can be said that the tragic Baguio landslide was to no fault of his, it again presented a roadblock to his training. And, during that downtime, he again busied himself shaking hands and doing commercials ("Pawes? nakaka-be-o yan!" and "Pulling hair?").
Just recently, he again went under Roach's skin. Roach said he was irked by Pacquiao's horseplay during sparring sessions. He insinuated that Pacquiao seems to take the sessions a tad too lightly and exclaimed that if Pacquiao continues to stay in the ropes, he will get beat. What's the matter with Pacquiao? Is he losing focus or is he losing focus?
Although he is coming off three straight wins against boxing stalwarts David Diaz, Oscar dela Hoya and Ricky Hatton, he should not overlook the challenge he has to face in Miguel Cotto. He fought Diaz, dela Hoya and Hatton at the downhill turning point of their careers. Diaz was outmatched. De la Hoya duped all of us and our honest red cents by claiming that he could still fight. And, Hatton just wasn't into it at all. However, Miguel Cotto is threatening to break the pattern. Pacquiao is facing a Cotto who's at a turning point as well. Only, his is an uphill one. If Pacquiao expects to steamroll through Cotto and is subsequently training lightly out of that prediction, then he's gonna be in a whole world of hurt come fight night.
Manny Pacquiao has reinvented himself time and time again. He has evolved from a one-dimensional fighter (remember those days when his right hand was not worth scrat) to a complete fighter that combines both speed and knockout power. He should not stunt that evolution by prancing through sparring sessions and putting work hours in the studio. Focus and discipline has been his trademark qualities but his actions all point to the chance that all this success is getting to him. Boxing is his life. Not drinking milk off boxes. Not campaigning for political office. You don't see Michael Phelps keeping a 9-to-5 job while training for the Olympics. He understands that swimming is his life. So, he swims all day and, occasionally takes weed at night. Pacquiao should keep that same mentality (except the marijuana). He should realize that bexing is his job. It's his sport. It's his life.
Luckily, he has flown to the States to round up the last few weeks of training. Filipino fans (at least those who don't hate him, anyways) better hope that he's done enough to edge out Miguel Cotto who has been training his ass out even before Mayweather-Marquez got under way.
Focus, Pacman.
Otherwise, the blue mean-looking gooey thing in Miguel Cotto might just sneak up on you.
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