Pacquiao Fan On Steroids
MANNY PACQUIAO MANIA NOT EVIDENT THIS WEEK!
San Francisco, CA– Ever since last-minute substitute Manny Pacquiao tore through Lehlo Ledwaba in June 2001 and snagged the IBF 122 lb. trinket, the Filipino fighter from General Santos City has been a national icon. A few fights later, Pacquiao was devouring world class opponents and future Hall of Fame types in Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales. With his only setback being a close points loss to Morales, this prior to the Tim Bradley match in June, Manny would nearly behead Morales in two subsequent encounters.
DE LA HOYA & COTTO WINS NEED ASTERISK?
Beating Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto were not as significant from a historical standpoint seeing both Cotto and De La Hoya were weight drained. De La Hoya, who should have taken note of “Sugar Ray” Leonard and his coming in at 160 lbs. for Hector Camacho, brought that *hit on himself as he was the one who decided the terms of a Pacquiao-Camacho clash and opted for 147, a weight he hadn’t made in years. Cotto, having already been abused by Antonio “The Foul” Margarito, was forced to come in at 145. Unlike De La Hoya, Cotto had little to say about Pacquiao as he was told the fight would not happen if he didn’t make 145. Some of you discount a pound or two, but it can affect you psychologically.
HIT ON THE “THE HITMAN” MANNY’S ZENITH
Although pundits will say Ricky Hatton never was “all that much,” I thought Manny’s KO 2, a one-punch of the Brit was the Filipino’s finest moment. It was about this same time that people began to suspect Pacquiao, now a Philippine Congressman, of taking Performance Enhancing Drugs. A lot of us with some boxing acumen felt that Pacquiao’s accomplishments were so “out of the norm” or “super natural” that we were perplexed when he wouldn’t adhere to “Random Drug Testing” that Floyd Mayweather was railing for.
KRYPTONITE NEUTRALIZED SUPERMAN
Reportedly, Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter said that Manny “would never” go along with the aforementioned testing process, be it the USADA or VADA, in other words, while talk of steroid use and Pacquiao have dropped off, this might make someone of normal rational think that Manny Pacquiao may be “on the juice.” In his last two fights, Pacquiao has looked like Superman carrying a Kryptonite rock in his pocket. This leads me to think that he may have tried to do things sans any vitamins and performed poorly.
BOTH PACQUIAO & MARQUEZ LOOK JUICED FOR SATURDAY!
“Buffed” Juan Manuel Marquez
Until recently, nobody ever thought Juan Manuel Marquez was on anything other than “rice and beans.” But that has changed of late as the Mexican who is closer to 40 than 38 is sporting a Hercules like body. What are we to draw from this? Have both men went down the tawdry road to PED use? Or could Marquez looking to get that edge that will lead him to victory Saturday night.
TOMORROW: WHY ARE THE FILIPINO “PACNUTS” SO QUIET?
Tomorrow, I’ll get into the minds of a couple Filipino boxing fans, one of which thinks Manny Pacquiao can walk on air. That and Frances “The Fight Chick” Martel later today here at RingTalk.com
Pedro Fernandez