For Manny Pacquiao to live up to his overwhelming favorite billing in tomorrow?s fight with Antonio Margarito, he has to let the Mexican respect his punches.
Margarito is notorious for his ability to absorb heavy punches and his style is just that he is willing to eat leather in order to unload his own heavy bombers.
Former welterweight champion Miguel Angel Cotto?s knockout defeat to Margarito happened in part because of his inability get the attention of the Mexican with his punches. Cotto threw all but the kitchen sink. Still, Margarito kept boring in.
Eventually some of Margarito?s haymakers found their mark as Cotto later found it frustrating not to be able to put away Margarito.
Of course, Margarito?s hand wraps that night was never put in check. Unlike when he fought Shane Mosley where he was caught trying to pad his hand wraps with a plaster of Paris.
Manny has to make Margarito fear his punches at the onset of their fight while at the same time frustrate his taller and bigger opponent by making him miss and wrong-footed at all times.
The chin of Margarito might be granite-like but a mason will tell you there is no rock hard enough for a sledge hammer. But the key to stopping Margarito off his track his to weaken those legs and get the wind out of him. And the area to take away Margarito?s ability to move forward is in the body.
Never allow Margarito to land five to eight punches in succession and in the process build his confidence. That was the mistake made by Cotto against both Margarito and Pacquiao.
When Margarito cannot unload his combinations, he gets careless and vulnerable to punches that he is not able to see and anticipate. Yes, the Mexican is at his dangerous best when he is able to predict his opponent and standing in front of him may not be the best way to get his attention and respect.
And, not the least, never underestimate the capacity of Margarito to employ dirty tricks. Margarito could throw punches in the thigh area to slow down Manny, head butt his way in to inflict cuts on Manny?s eyebrows that has shown deterioration over the years and illegally use his elbows.
But at the end of the day, it is Manny?s heavy punches that will slow down Margarito.
Many have made the mistake of underestimating the punching power of Manny. Not a few of them ended up on the seat of their pants.
