By Don Leopoldo: Boxing Herald .com
The Filipino Star's Dominance Has Been Debated; We Set the Record Straight
There’s been a lot of talk amongst boxing fanatics that Filipino idol Manny Pacquiao is on his way down. Critics usually point out that he peaked in that rubbermatch against Erik “El Terrible” Morales, and that his string of ring performances has dipped since that lackluster knock-out victory over Jorge “Coloradito” Solis. But what is really the score? Is Manny really on the inevitable downward spiral? Well, let’s tackle the issue based on his individual performances from his spectacular third round knockout victory over Erik Morales to his controversial split decision win over Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez.
MANNY PACQUIAO VS ERIK MORALES III “THE GRAND FINALE” (W - KO 3) If Pacman’s career can be summarized in one bout, this is it! He was an absolute wrecking machine in this fight. At the very first round of “The Grand Finale” main event, Morales was already getting hit by explosive shots to the head. It was punctuated by a perfectly placed right hook that landed square on "El Terrible’s" temple. The action just got more intense in round two. In one furious sequence, Morales went on the attack and trapped Pacquiao in the ropes. But Manny countered with a hard left hook that caused Erik to touch the canvas. Although the brave Mexican was able to beat the mandatory count, his impending doom was already sealed. In round three, it was all too clear that the proud warrior from Mexico was living on borrowed time. He kissed the canvas twice in round three. The second time he was decked, he gave his corner a dejected look and never bothered to stand-up to beat the mandatory count. NO MAS.
FIGHT ANALYSIS:This fight gave us the CLASSIC MANNY PACQUIAO -- aggressive, explosive, ferocious and absolutely merciless. It was a total destruction of the great Morales. Pacman’s knockout power, dynamic hand speed and accurate counter-punching were very evident in this fight. If there is one single fight that will qualify the Filipino fighter for the Hall of Fame – remember the main event of “The Grand Finale”.
MANNY PACQUIAO VS JORGE SOLIS “BLAZE OF GLORY” (W – KO 8) Critics usually point to this fight as the start of a downward trend in Pacquiao’s reign-of-terror. To set the record straight, this was a one-sided performance in favor of the Filipino fighter. But he started the fight slow and was seemingly lackluster for long stretches of the match. Unluckily for the Mexican, a Pacquiao cut over the left eye made the Filipino pick up the tempo. The faster pace troubled the Mexican and caused two knockdowns in round eight.
FIGHT ANALYSIS: Was there an obvious decline in Manny’s capabilities in this fight? I would have to say no. It was quite clear that the Filipino boxing hero was merely trying different styles against the Mexican. He was probably using several techniques that he has practiced in the gym, and applied those methods in an actual fight. But a nasty cut had to stop his experimentation and decided to knockout Solis instead. The vaunted power and speed was very much present in this fight.
MANNY PACQUIAO VS MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA “WILL TO WIN” (W – UD) A big percentage of fight fans were expecting a knockout in this duel. Most of them were disappointed that it never came. Not even a knockdown was scored by Pacman.Barrera’s strategy in this fight was to box Manny from a distance. He was particularly defensive minded in this duel. Most of the time, it would seem that he was merely on survival mode. When Pacquiao initiates an attack, he would either backpedal or clinch. Most critics of Pacman often pointed out that there was no sustained offensive barrage from the Filipino fighter. he only time that the Mexican was truly in trouble was in round eleven when he buckled after he was hit by a solid punch.
FIGHT ANALYSIS:Were there signs that Manny’s inherent boxing capabilities declined in this fight? My answer is NO. In fact, he got better and showed different aspects of his game that weren’t there before. In this fight, Manny out-boxed, out-fought and outworked the boxer. He showed to the boxing fanatics that he can win fights on points by landing the cleaner shots. He showed patience and finesse. His defensive capability improved. He displayed his punching accuracy. A lot of new facets in his game surfaced in this match. Manny Pacquiao actually improved in this fight.
MANNY PACQUIAO VS JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ “UNFINISHED BUSINESS” (W – SD) I always felt that Juan Manuel Marquez had the style to make Manny look ordinary. That’s just what the Mexican did in their rematch last March 15, 2008 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. "The Dinamita" caught Manny with a huge left hook towards the end of round two and the latter buckled from that punch. Round three was the most important round of the match and proved to be the difference. In the last few seconds of the round, Manny caught his opponent with a powerful left cross and the Mexican dropped to the canvass.
FIGHT ANALYSIS: Marquez’s orthodox counterpunching style is the perfect antidote to Manny’s in-ring explosiveness. The Mexican proved to the boxing world that lightning hand speed and knockout power can be contained with perfect timing and punching accuracy. Even though he lost that fight, he gained respect with the spirited performance.On the other hand, Pacquiao had great difficulty figuring out the style of his opponent. But he showed maturity by picking his spots and not forcing the issue. In fact, he was able to stun Marquez once again in the tenth round by landing a wild left into the Mexican’s face.So, was there a decline in Pacquiao’s performance in this fight? The truth is – NO. Marquez just happens to be a stylistic nightmare for Pacquiao.
SUMMARY: Manny Pacquiao is definitely still at his peak. He has added several dimensions to his game. He is becoming more of a boxer as of late, which is a big plus to his arsenal.In that rubbermatch against Erik Morales, he displayed his much improved right hand to compliment his main-weapon left hook. Against Jorge Solis, he added patience to his fight game. He didn’t immediately go all-out for the attack and studied his opponent first. In his rematch against Barrera, he finally evinced that he can be an effective boxer -- that he does not have to endanger himself all the time by committing to an all-out attack. This shows his maturity and development as a fighter. The Juan Manuel Marquez rematch showed to the world that the Filipino fighter is capable of adapting his the style to his opponent. He knew that the Mexican was the best counterpuncher in the business, so he changed his style accordingly.A great fighter is the one who can adapt to his changing environment. He must be able to add to his repertoire of skills. If you stick to the same style, your opponents will eventually solve your puzzle and beat you. Manny Pacquiao is changing for the better. He is trying to prolong his career by fighting smart. His style now is about CONTROLLED AGGRESSION and not the reckless aggression that he used to possess.
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