DON’T DISMISS ALEX ARIZA WHEN HE SPEAKS
Pacquiao & Alex Ariza
San Francisco, CA– Nutrition guru and strength conditioning coach Alex Ariza has made quite a mark in his boxing tenure. He started getting props for his being with Manny Pacquiao during a period of time when the Filipino was making an historic romp
Wapakaman Would Never Run From Floyd
through a record number of weight divisions. “Double A” works with other fighters the likes of current WBO 130 lb. kingpin Mikey Garcia and Floyd Mayweather’s next handpicked foe Marcos Maidana.
ARIZA FITNESS HAS HAD SOME ISSUES
Ariza has had his share of red flags working behind the scenes and in the corner. It has been alleged Manny Pacquiao was on Steroids and because of Ariza’s position in the camp, fingers were pointed at him. During the Maidana upset win over Adrien Broner, it appeared to some that Ariza gave Maidana “smelling salts” to revive him between rounds. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. came up dirty, Brandon Rios tested positive in China last year with Ariza on hand. While this is not a pretty picture, so what. My feeling is that Ariza knows his stuff and that you don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
PACLAND FANATICS NOT KIND TO ALEX
So when Ariza said several weeks ago that “Manny Pacquiao refused to negotiate with Floyd Mayweather,” the residents of Pacland jumped on Ariza in typical Pacland fashion calling him a liar and worse. Freddie Roach said the same thing more recently as he lay the blame on Manny and promoter Bob Arum for not making the fight.
WHEN YOU “REALLY, REALLY” WANT SOMETHING
When you want something bad, be it athletically or of a cerebral nature, it’s all that matters. Whether it’s a mate, a car, maybe a way of life, if you want it bad enough you’ve got to make sacrifices and sometimes bold moves. When I had a point taken away for whacking on a guy that was “hurt and holding” me it was the only time I would ever lose a Golden Glove championship bout and it outraged me for almost a year.
MANNY HAS ALL THE TITLES, HE NEEDS MAYWEATHER!
Most guys fight in the Golden Gloves just to say they did, that was never my strategy as I wanted to win five championships in San Francisco like Mark Breland did in New York. (I got 4) Winning championships was my goal and with Manny Pacquiao having already attained championships galore, the only benchmark he needs to fulfill is a fight with Floyd Mayweather.
LOVE PLAYING THE “BLAME GAME”
I jump fences in playing the “blame game” when one day I’ll be harping on Floyd, the next I’m rapping Pacquiao for not making this happen. They both are to blame.
BODY LANGUAGE SAYS PACMAN NOT INTERESTED
One thing you do as a person trained in police science is that you study individuals. There are a few poignant moments in the three years that this fight hasn’t happened. The most notable have to be Pacquiao being asked if he wanted to face Mayweather, Manny put on a pair of sunglasses before answering to the affirmative.
BODY LANGUAGE SAYS PACMAN NOT CONFIDENT
Manny played Wapakman in the heavily panned 2009 Philippine flick. In that role, was never afraid of anybody or anything. When Pac said “The phone line is open” in response to if he would fight Floyd, I saw for the first time the body language of a loser. Deep down inside, I don’t think Manny Pacquiao really wants the Mayweather fight. Look for him to fight Juan Manuel Marquez if he beats Mike Alvarado next month. For if Marquez doesn’t win, Manny Pacquiao appears to be out of career options and he should contemplate retirement.
Pedro Fernandez