Manny Pacquiao isn’t famous as a body puncher but his longtime trainer Freddie Roach found out that there is a good chance Pacquiao could knock out Mayweather on May 2 with a nicely-executed body shot.
A powerful body shot that lands on specific target could momentarily disable a boxer for a few minutes and unable to beat the referee’s count for a decisive technical knockout. A body shot that will cause excruciating pain is one that lands on the liver. It is sometimes called a liver shot which is very effective when properly executed. In a recent interview, Pacquiao’s longtime trainer Freddie Roach said that he saw some changes on Mayweather’s defensive posture which leaves his body open, “Both fighters have changed quite a bit…our strategy is somewhat on the same page, but somewhat different also…his body is wide open…I think we’re gonna work the body a little bit in this fight and if we work the head and body, I think we’ll be successful. We just gotta mix it up a little bit,” said Roach, who is aiming for a knockout win for Pacquiao. Body works could be a good option for Pacquiao if he can fight in the pocket but everyone knows that the Filipino star has never been a body puncher nor is he an inside fighter. If Roach’s strategy shift isn’t done properly, it could be risky experiment for Pacquiao because Mayweather could find his target the moment Pacquiao steps in the pocket for a precise body shot. Pacquiao has always been a head puncher and for Roach to execute a game plan that zeros in on the body, he would need more time to get Pacquiao ready for its execution. A liver shot is a shortcut to victory as it could disable a fighter right in the opening round but it must land on specific target in order to be effective. Some of the boxers who scored a win via TKO using the body shot includes Bernard Hopkins, who knocked Oscar De La Hoya out with a liver shot in 2004, Gennady Golovkin, who likewise knocked Matthew Macklin out with a liver shot in June 2013 and Amir Khan, who scored a knockdown against Marcos Maidana in the first round with a liver shot in 2010, among others. Also last year, popular MMA fighter Ronda Rousey knocked out Sara MaCmann down with her knee shot to the liver. While a liver shot could spell out victory for Pacquiao, it also poses corresponding risk as Mayweather is known for his punching accuracy. The moment Pacquiao gets inside Mayweather’s perimeter for a clean liver shot, he could fall into Mayweather’;s trap and suffer the consequences of his action. Roach’s body shot option for Pacquiao is laudable but extra safety measures should be employed to make it work safely for Pacquiao.
