Manny Pacquiao?s post-fight comments on compatriot Nonito Donaire Jr.?s performance in his fight against Jessie Magdaleno was actually harsh.
The Manila Times Sport Section reported on November 6 that Pacquiao commented on Donaire, ?Don?t be lazy and always go hard in training.?
?In boxing, you cannot take your training lightly and you can?t be lazy,? Pacquiao told The Manila Times . ?You have to train hard and wisely. Boxing is no joke.?
?Whoever your trainer is if you don?t train seriously, you?ll end up with nothing,? he said. ?I?m hoping he?ll train seriously if he?s determined to come back.?
On Monday, Donaire?s wife Rachel shot back via Twitter, saying Pacquiao?s comments ?wasn?t constructive.?
Before Pacquiao?s post-fight criticism on Donaire, my planned topic for this week?s column was how it was short of being suicidal for ?The Filipino Flash? to take on a ?live opponent? like Magdaleno just as he switched trainers.
And here is the crux of the matter?Donaire fought a better opponent in Magdaleno two weekends ago in Las Vegas. In fact, comparing Jessie Vargas and Magdaleno was like comparing night and day.
Magdaleno had terrific ring movement, speed, counterpunching skills and even power, while Vargas was a big bumbling welterweight with no speed, no power and little ring movement. In other words, Magdaleno was a potential nightmare to Donaire and the Filipino?s switching to a new trainer to take on an opponent like Magdaleno was short of being suicidal. Good thing Donaire finished the fight on his feet.
I mean, what Donaire?s camp should have done is to take on a lesser opponent because there was no way a new trainer can fine-tune his new ward?s fighting style perfectly for a championship fight where the opponent isn?t a there-to-be-hit boxer. How about Vargas? Well, he proved to be a flatfooted opponent and if it were not for his height advantage, Vargas would have finished the fight flat on his back.
Donaire also was not way short in punch output as he landed 132 punches on 404 throws for a connection rate of 32.70 percent. On the other hand, Magdaleno landed 154 of 500 or 30.80 percent.
And looking at the fight closely, Donaire did much of the stalking and chasing during the fight, and his right cross looked more polished compared to his previous fights. But the timing of his left hook was somewhat off. Obviously, age is already taking a toll on Donaire.
In relation to Pacquiao?s comments on Donaire, I also have to emphasize this?it has been a long-held tradition among Filipino boxers never to fight a compatriot at the championship level. This is a stark contrast to how Mexican fighters love to beat the hell out of each other especially at the championship level.
I had just wished Pacquiao had better words for Donaire like saying he could bounce back, because in the long-held tradition of Filipino boxers not choosing to fight each other at the world championship level, it could also be established that Filipino fighters should not let out hurtful words against each other, especially if the are fighting at the elite level.
I just hope the Pacquiao and Donaire camps won?t let the situation go out of hand.
