HOLLYWOOD ? Strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza was so impressed by Manny Pacquiao?s awesome form Saturday night that he said the Filipino icon could have knocked out anybody ? Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley or Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Anybody but Antonio Margarito.
?It was like chopping down a big tree with a hammer instead of a big ax,? said Ariza the day after Pacquiao crushed Margarito.
Pacquiao dropped 411 power shots on Margarito?s head and body. He did everything but knock him out. The result was a majority decision and an eighth world title for the Filipino icon.
Pacquiao climbed the ring at 148 lb, and Margarito at 165. That?s a difference of 17 lb, and inside the ring, the 5-foot-6 Pacquiao looked like a welterweight fighting a 5-foot-11 middleweight.
Ariza said Pacquiao could have scored a knockout that cold evening in Dallas if it were not Margarito on the other side.
?If this is the Floyd fight, Manny kills him,? said Ariza of the undefeated American, the ex-pound-for-pound champion.
Ariza said it would have been much easier for Pacquiao to fight Mayweather that Margarito, who showed courage and resiliency never seen in Pacquiao?s recent victims like Oscar dela Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto or Joshua Clottey.
?You?re not talking about that kind of pressure, that kind of weight, that kind of power, that kind of resiliency that Margarito had,? said Ariza.
?Margarito knocks Floyd out in this fight. Margarito knocks out Floyd Jr. last night. Manny could have knock out anybody,? he added.
The Colombian guru is hoping that Saturday?s fight is Pacquiao?s last at the weight class he?s not meant to be in.
?I hope that?s the last fight at 150. Manny and I talked about it today and we?re kind of done with this. I think it has lost its appeal for us to keep trying to push it. When is enough enough? Until we get him hurt? At what point is enough??
He said 140 or even 147 is the best weight for Pacquiao, a weight class where he can take all comers, including Marquez, Mosley or Mayweather.
?Like I said, enough with the freak shows. It?s not a circus. Put somebody his own size in there.?
Ariza said he likes third match with Marquez, the last fighter who stood close to beating Pacquiao. Twice they?ve faced each other, the first one ending in a controversial draw, and the second in equally controversial split decision for the Filipino.
?Everybody knows I like Marquez. It doesn?t matter, 140, 144, 145, whatever they want to fight us. Mosley? He?ll be tired after 15 minutes so what?s the point of that fight? Manny knocks him out and probably, Manny won?t even train for that fight. That guy is a quitter. He quit against Mayweather in three rounds. What do you think he?s gonna do when Manny starts let loose his hands five or 15 seconds after the bell rings?? said Ariza.
He really likes Marquez.
?Because he?s got balls. He?s got heart. And he?s stupid enough to think he can beat Manny. So that?s a great fight.?
