Manny Pacquiao: The Antonio Margarito Challenge
By Hermilando “Ingming” Duque Aberia
The world’s pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, 51-3-2, 38 KO’s, of the Philippines threads another unfamiliar course when he fights former World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight titlist Antonio Margarito, 38-6, 27 KO’s, of Mexico on November 13th 2010 at Dallas, Texas, USA.
Pacquiao had been known to brave the odds as a fighter (or even as a kid growing up in his hometown General Santos City in southern Philippines). But against Margarito, Pacquiao faces for the first time the biggest and heaviest opponent he will ever trade punches with. Aside from differences in weight, Pacquiao also faces, in this fight, unique challenges, such as demands of his new calling as an elected member of the national legislature which debase his focus as a professional athlete and, to some extent, physical wear and tear.
Ever since Pacquiao started fighting professionally at age 16, there always seemed to be an issue with either his or his opponents’ weight. He once admitted before American media that he put coins in his pocket during his professional debut at the minimum weight ceiling of 105 pounds. At that time, he said, he weighed 98 pounds. At 17 he had problems making the 111-pound catch-weight limit against Rustico Torrecampo and was penalized with wearing a heavier pair of gloves. Torrecampo defeated Pacquiao by knock out in the third round.
At 20, Pacquiao failed to make the weight limit of 112 pounds in the defense of his WBC flyweight title against Thailand’s Midgoen Singsurat. Stripped of his belt even before the fight started, Pacquiao went on to engage Singsurat in a lopsided bout. Pacquiao lost by knockout, also in the third round.
Pacquiao seemed to be comfortable at 122-126 pounds, as indicated by either knocking out or retiring 13 of his next 15 opponents. The other two bouts ended in draws.
But starting two years ago at age 30 in his fight against Oscar De La Hoya, Pacquiao’s issue about weight had something to do with the opposition being naturally heavier than him. The difference between his weight at weigh in and fight night averaged at 5.95 pounds. In comparison, the difference in weight at weigh in and fight night for his opponents (De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey) averaged at 11.75 pounds.
Against Hatton in 2009, Pacquiao weighed 138 pounds on the day of the weigh in, but weighed 148 pounds during the day of the fight itself. Hatton weighed 152 pounds on fight night.
Later in that year Pacquiao contended for Miguel Cotto’s World Boxing Organization welterweight (147 pounds) title at the catch-weight limit of 144 pounds. Pacquiao tipped the scales at 144 pounds during weigh in and 148 pounds on the day of the fight itself. Cotto was reported to have weighed at 160 pounds on the day of the fight.
Four months later, Pacquiao gave away 16 pounds to Clottey on the night of the fight. Against Margarito, Pacquiao (regardless of the unlimited food intake he gets) is expected to climb the ring with his biggest weight handicap ever.
Another fresh challenge for Pacquiao as he prepares to face Margarito is how to manage his time as a full-time congressman and a part-time professional boxer. While quite surprising for many who thought Pacquiao’s foray into politics was nothing more than an exercise in vanity, those who followed his rise to power inside the slippery ring of politics should be pleased with the way he has taken his legislative work seriously.
As shown in the first episode of HBO’s 24/7 series, nothing of what he does in training camp is sacred where his congressional duties demand his attention. This definitely is one such rare exclamation mark in public service imagery. On the other hand, that also makes it hard for Chief Coach Freddie Roach to hide his dismay, and on that basis alone it leaves hardcore fight fans alarmed over the possibility that The Pacman may meet his match this time.
As the fight looms closer, the impression that Pacquiao could be in for a long and tough night of fistic battle gets clearer. Not necessarily because of a superior opposition (no disrespect intended to Margarito), but more likely because Pacquiao could beat Pacquiao.
Finally, there is the issue of physical wear and tear. Pacquiao has tried to hide his recurring physical pain from the public. In his fight against Marquez in 2004, he blamed his socks for the sore foot he got. The injury was more serious than that. The pain is back and recently he slipped into a Manila hospital as “Jun Jamora.” Also, courtesy of the times when he was young and barely able to eat, he suffers from attacks of stomach pain.
As a fighter ages, something in his physical make-up must give. And that something differs from one fighter to the other.
In his youth, Sugar Ray Robinson lost only once in his first 132 fights. After competing for 11 years at age 30, he lost 18 of his succeeding 68 matches.
Roberto Duran lost only once in his first 73 fights. But starting at age 29, he lost 15 of his next 46 bouts. And at age 43, he lost 7 of his final 18 fights.
Julio Cesar Chavez was undefeated in his first 90 fights. But after he turned 32 and being active for 14 straight years, he lost 6 of his next 25 fights.
Oscar De La Hoya never lost until his 32nd fight, at age 26. From age 30 onwards, he lost 4 of his next 7 bouts.
The examples can go on and on. But the message of each story is the same: nobody beats time. Old age may not be a curse. But like all properties of nature, it needs to be managed. Many legends were found wanting not because of lack of skill or physical fitness. Rather, they embarrassed themselves for not knowing when to retire.
Manny Pacquiao will soon turn 32 (Margarito will turn 33 in March next year). And the legends like him have shown wear and tear at this point of their respective careers. He has shown none of it in his last 6—even 7—fights so far. But sooner or later something will have to give. If time—or age—had stopped the best of athletes, it could stop the Pacman, too.
As to when it happens, however, only time can tell. Not a few well-meaning friends, like Roach, have in fact advised him to plan his exit while he is on top.
What can make retiring an easy decision for Pacquiao to do is the secure and solid standing he has established for himself in the sport. Excepting hecklers and those who just can’t leave so much money on the table (which may not necessarily be wrong), many people think there really is nothing left to prove himself.
To read more articles from Hermilando
Read: Floyd Mayweather, JR: Bring On Manny Pacquiao Next!
Read: Floyd Mayweather JR’s Challenge to Manny Pacquiao: November 13th Awaits