MANNY Pacquiao is indeed a great man in a hurry.
The knockout artist from General Santos City wants to feast on his ring opponents fast.
The finest living Filipino boxer loves to start out like a fireball.
He grabs hard at his foes, then wails at them with tidal wave ferocity.
Of course, the world boxing celebrity also tends to drag his feet outside the boxing ring.
He could also be as lazy, languorous as a cool summer breeze.
He drowns in harvest-time merriment and often takes long to decide.
Take, for example, his departure for training in the United States.
Instead of Jan. 5, Pacquiao now says he’s leaving Jan. 8 to link up with trainer Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.
This despite Roach’s advice for him to leave for LA immediately after Christmas Day.
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Time is of the essence in his preparation against the Juan Manuel Marquez.
But Pacquiao is not one to send his legion of fans worrying.
As in past bouts, Pacquiao would again vow to be at peak form come his Feb. 26 rematch against the fabulous Mexican counter-puncher who had taught him a thing or two in their first fight in Las Vegas last May.
Other than foot-drag, Pacquiao also loves to cut corners and cram.
He only had three weeks to prepare for his last fight in Taguig City.
He had a tight, awkward start against Fahsan 3K Battery.
But Pacquiao nevertheless went on to nail down the Thai three times, before crushing him into fragments with a body-lifting left upper-slice in the fourth round.
* * *
Naturally, what had singularly surfaced to most fans, mainly the thrilled television enthusiasts, was Pacquiao’s might.
Sorry, but most of those who saw that fight did not notice how Pacquiao had to gasp for breath come the third round.
Thank God it did not happen, because it would have been a disaster if the fight had, say, gone past six rounds.
With his insufficient preparation, Pacquiao would have run out of gas.
His could’ve softened and fizzled out.
He would have been reduced to a foamy, willing target.
* * *
At least, Pacquiao would later admit that, contrary to his pre-fight vow, he was not a hundred percent against the overmatched Thai brawler.
Well, he could have stopped 3K Battery fighting only with one hand.
Unfortunately, Pacquiao appeared unable to read the message in his last fight.
The warning was loud and clear: He cannot afford to cram against Marquez.
Of course, Pacquiao was quick to assure everybody that he’s keeping his weight in check.
That’s as good as saying he would not stray off the championship path while he enjoys the holidays to their final minutes here in the Philippines.
* * *
Meanwhile, Marquez, described as a fitness freak, is deep into what could be his second month of intensive, high-altitude training in Mexico.
Given a week or 10-day notice, Marquez should be ready and willing to rumble against Pacquiao or any challenger to his WBA/IBF crown.
Well, as Pacquiao will be reporting late to the Wild Card Boxing Club, it cannot be denied that he will have to play catch-up.
He will have to again work doubly hard, fast.
He will have to run longer, bang at the heavy bags harder in extended sessions.
Pacquiao had known how hard it was to rush and cut corners on the way to big fights.
This malpractice is the greatest invitation to disaster.
Or does the Filipino raging bull love to play catch-up and fight at a handicap?
