The End of Manny Pacquiao?
PHILIPPINE ICON “MUST WIN”
San Francisco, CA– If Manny Pacquiao were a race car and not a professional boxer, you could say his beating Shane Mosley was similar to an Indianapolis 500 car beating Kevin Perry’s 1967 Volkswagen bug. In his next race, his third tango with Juan Manuel Marquez, Pacquiao got the benefit of a photo finish in a race he should have lost. Last time out, whether you agree with the Tim Bradley decision or not, but Pacquiao looked like an out of gas car from round nine on.
MANNY HAS HAD HELL OF A RUN!
If you were running Manny Pacquiao as a race car, seeing the writing on the wall, you’d realize that Pacquiao has been “tweaked” about as much as any fighter who started at 107 and is now at 147 lbs. At 33, Manny is what he is and if his last two fights are a real barometer of what Pacquiao has left, the gas tank is running dangerously low.
CONDITIONING COACH HAS DOGGED PACMAN
There are some close to the Pacquiao circle saying that Manny has lost his “desire” when it comes to boxing. His conditioning coach Alex Ariza said much the same after the third Marquez fight last November. “Manny was exposed against Marquez. He’s not putting in the time he needs to get in top condition.”
PACQUIAO CLEANS UP ACT & HIS BOXING SUFFERED?
With Manny having children out of wedlock, playing cards, dice, betting on chicken fights, Pacquiao was laying pipe with different women and yet he was at the top of his game. Last year, with his wife Jinkee threatening divorce, Pacquiao is said to have cleaned up his act and began reading the bible three to five hours a day.
FOUNDING FATHER THOMAS JEFFERSON
The bible study, of which members of my family also delve into, brings to mind what one of the United States founding fathers Thomas Jefferson said about the holy book. “I have read the bible” said Jefferson. “And I find no redeeming values in it.”
RELIGION & POLITICAL POWER MORE IMPORTANT
Look, ever since Manny went religious to the max his career as a boxer seems unimportant to the Congressman from the Philippines who is contemplating a run for the Presidency in 2016. He is being coddled by the Conservative Political Party of the Philippines. You can almost sense that Pacquiao doesn’t like boxing anymore.
FAN BASE NOT LACKING CRITICISM
Criticized after the Shane Mosley fight for lacking intensity against an old man, the catcalls continued after he was “gifted” against Juan Manuel Marquez in 2011. When he lost controversially to Tim Bradley in June, Pac had nobody to blame but himself. In a photo taken prior to the 12th round, does Manny look like he’s in shape here or in need of “mouth to mouth” resuscitation?
NOT A PEEP ABOUT FLOYD FROM PACNUTS!
I think that most of the bantering from Manny Pacquiao fans about Floyd Mayweather has all but died off! Reason being is that the entire world knows that after watching Manny’s last two fights that he has but two chances with Mayweather, that being slim and none, and slim just left town. If Manny loses Saturday, he will retire.
BOTH ACCUSE THE OTHER OF STEROIDS!
In my next feature on the fourth Pacquiao-Marquez clash set for Saturday, I’ll talk about and look at the changing physiques of both men as they approach what should be the pugilistic Waterloo for one of these individuals!
Pedro Fernandez