source: www.spin.ph
PROMOTER
Bob Arum is telling everyone that there is no economically viable arena
available to host the fight, at least not in April. Just about every boxing
expert worth his salt is advising him to take the time available and let the
wounds of battle completely heal.
But
no, Pacquiao wants to lace on the gloves again, and he wants it in April. He
has even expressed his willingness to fight in Manila if no other venue is
available. A few years ago, such a thought would have been difficult to fathom:
You know, nobody wanting to host a Pacquiao fight.
Times
have changed though, particularly after Pacquiao hit skid row in December when
he fell in six rounds to Mexican nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez. With his career
now hanging by a thread, the popular opinion is that Pacquiao should be more
judicious in plotting his return to the throne.
It
is so easy to say that machismo has a lot to do with Pacquiao's desire to
immediately return. Before he swallowed the right hand that shocked the world,
Pacquiao appeared to be on his way to a technical knockout victory over
Marquez. Knocked down in the third, he rebounded strongly by flooring Marquez
in the fifth round. Pacquiao was running rings around a banged-up Marquez when
he got overexcited and walked into a huge right hand with one second left in
the sixth round.
Suffice
it to say, Pacquiao thinks Marquez just got lucky. The craving for an immediate
return to the squared circle is anchored on emotion, the desire to erase in a
snap of a finger the memories of that December ember.
Oh,
lest we forget, there is also the need for Pacquiao to recapture the image of a
winner before he tosses his hat anew into the political arena in May. By the
time he seeks re-election as a member of Congress, Pacquiao wants to be a
winner again in the eyes of his constituents and this will only happen if he
fights in April, a month before the national elections. Machismo aside, this is
the real reason why Pacquiao wants an early return. And this is why this writer
believes the Pacman needs a reality check.
The
loss to Marquez was an accident waiting to happen. Heading into their fourth
meeting, Pacquiao was no longer his old, ferocious self. The inner fire had
been tempered, either by his newfound religion or political forays. Or perhaps
by both. Bottom line, Pacquiao was too distracted when he fought Marquez.
Over
a month after the loss to Marquez, the distractions are still there. In fact,
Pacquiao has not done anything to shake it off his system. What is more
dangerous is that he still apparently believes he can get away with it
again. At this stage in his career, when
questions about his health and condition linger, that is a very perilous
mindset.
There
is no urgency for Pacquiao to return as early as April. Note that after the
loss to Marquez, Pacquiao was placed under 120-day medical suspension by the
Nevada State Athletic Commission. This means Pacquiao is prohibited from
engaging in any boxing-related activity, particularly sparring, during the time
of the suspension. The medical suspension was recently shortened by the
commission and will be effective until March 9. However, the commission made it
clear that Pacquiao cannot figure in any sparring until February 7. Unless
Pacquiao has not been complying with the directive, this means that if he
returns in April he would have had very little sparring. As in the Marquez
fight, he would be cramming again.
It
is easy to argue that Pacquiao need not train that hard because he would only
be taking on a patsy if he returns in April. But here's the rub: There is no
telling how much of Pacquiao's once towering confidence has been chopped off by
Marquez's right hand. No fighter's confidence is the same after he goes through
a harrowing experience like what Pacquiao went through. While Pacquiao may only
end up fighting a trial horse in April, any diminution in the boxer's
confidence will level the playing field. This means that while the patsy
remains an underdog, he has more than a faint chance.
Another
reason for Pacquiao not to fight in April is the fact that two of the country's
best champions today, Brian Viloria and Nonito Donaire, Jr., are also seeing
action in April. Viloria will defend his WBA-WBO flyweight title against
Mexican Juan Fransciso Estrada on April 6 in Macau while Donaire is mulling on
an April 27 defense of his WBO super bantamweight crown against Cuban Guillermo
Rigondeaux in Las Vegas. Whether he likes to admit it or not, Pacquiao will be
reduced to third fiddle if he fights in the same month.
Pacquiao
will get his revenge, but he has to be very judicious and patient in planning
it. First things first, he has to get rid of all the excess luggage in his
closet. We all want to see Pacquiao back in the ring again, but we will not
settle for anything less than the vintage Pacman or something close to that. - Ed Tolentino
