A DAY after trainer Freddie Roach bragged about a secret weapon that will be the key to Manny Pacquiao’s victory, the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard paid the Filipino boxing idol a visit and advised him he may have to use his head in order to beat Mexican Erik Morales.
Pacquiao agreed, but this ploy could prove complicated to the younger, stronger Filipino knockout artist, who’s expected to use a tested buzz-saw attack against Morales in their showdown in Las Vegas.
In fact, the consensus among respected fight experts in the United States, like the famous Al Bernstein, is that Morales would enjoy a ready edge if the March 19 clash develops into a tactical war.
But Filipino journalist Winchell Campos reported from the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, where the RP ring celebrity has been training, that Pacquiao meekly nodded when told by Leonard about the vitality of wisdom.
“You should also possess this,” said Leonard who, Campos said, “pointed to his head to indicate that half of the battles on top of the ring are won because of mental preparation and toughness, something that Pacquiao completely concurred with.”
The report said Leonard and Pacquiao expressed mutual respect Thursday (Friday in Manila) at the chance meeting at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.
Leonard was at Freddie Roach’s gym to film a music video.
“He told me that I am fast,” said Pacquiao.
Then Pacquiao also got several tips from Leonard on how to get past Morales.
The report noted that Morales will come in as the bigger and taller fighter and Pacquiao will step up in weight to issue a challenge.
Leonard, also a former Golden Gloves champion and Olympic gold medalist, knocked out a much bigger Donnie Lalonde for the WBC light heavyweight title in 1988.
“Good luck to your fight,” Leonard told Pacquiao.
“He is my idol. I tried to copy some of his footwork and I developed speed because he was a great fighter,” said Pacquiao.
Leonard even bared his skinny legs “which deceptively carried him to the top of the welterweight division as well as four other different weight classes.”
He and Pacquiao agreed that leg power is one of the keys to becoming a great fighter, the report added.
