MANILA, Philippines?They have covered everything?and he means everything, proudly claims Freddie Roach, Manny Pacquiao?s famous American trainer.
With his track record, there?s no reason to doubt or disbelieve Se?or Roach.
Plainly put, that should leave defending World Boxing Council super featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico on unequal footing against the highly favored Pacquiao of the Philippines.
Anyway, himself speaking, Pacquiao bares he?s coming in a lot bigger, heavier for his title quest against Marquez in Las Vegas Saturday evening (Sunday morning in Manila).
There?s also the endless flow of glorious info from inside Team Pacquiao which insists that the main event in the ?Unfinished Business? card is no longer a rematch between equals.
It?s finished, done, completed even before the first punch could be landed.
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Yes, they?ve covered everything.
But, come to think of it, haven?t they overlooked a vital figure that could totally change the picture straight from the corner during the big fight?
For example, when Pacquiao and Marquez last fought to a controversial draw in May 2004, the man who actually had every right to feel cheated did not make a whimper.
Pacquiao and Marquez did try to outdo each other, at times loudly, in protesting the inconclusive outcome.
So where was Nacho Beristain all the time that the drawn result was being disputed by both camps?
He was nowhere.
The balding, enigmatic trainer that pushed up and propelled Marquez through 11 rounds of masterful fighting, after the Mexican champ got decked three times in the opening round, hardly said a word.
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Beristain was practically invisible.
Look, for the forthcoming Marquez-Pacquiao championship fight, it should be noted that one reason the Filipino ring icon has drawn more bettors to his side was Roach himself.
Famous and tested as he is, Roach also never fails to mumble a mouthful about the overwhelming worth of his fighter whenever he finds the chance.
Roach was gleefully straight to the point: Left-handed Pacquiao, vastly improved into a two-fisted terror, is super-super fit; there?s no way Marquez could escape this time.
In the process, Roach has obviously also bared the core of their fight plot.
For example, Roach has been openly declaring Pacquiao would go for a knockout.
OK, a knockout would be great, terrific.
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However, there?s reason to suspect that Roach, in baring their main ploy, secretly admitted that Pacquiao could again be at a disadvantage if the fight drags into one long, excruciating box-out, no short-cuts, no senseless, savage banging, only sweet scientific fighting.
Now, this is not to say Pacquiao is incapable of winning on points if the fight, say, goes the full 12 rounds.
Pacquiao could also win by decision, why not?
What?s become clear, though, is that Pacquiao?s handlers, where they stand now, would rather see a shorter bout than a long, articulate contest that could be both tiring and clinical.
Unfortunately for Team Pacquiao, this is the kind of war?patient and defensively very detailed?where Beristain, who has produced a total of 17 world champions, thrives best.
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No need to look back to May 2004 to know who would be at a disadvantage if an early KO doesn?t occur on Sunday.
Look, the forthcoming corner rematch between top trainers Beristain and Roach will never be as dramatic and electrifying as the Marquez-Pacquiao bout itself.
But this encounter could also be nothing?and everything!
Maybe Beristain, the way things look now, has been kept like a secret weapon by Team Marquez. But the same cannot be said of the overly visible Mr. Roach.
So, pray that Beristain doesn?t get fully noticed only if and when he turns into a stinging riddle on Sunday.
Let?s also hope Team Pacquiao doesn?t end up admitting that Maestro Nacho, sorry, was one area they had failed to cover.
