At his current weight, what separates Manny Pacquiao from the rest in his class is the speed of his limbs.
Pacquiao the former flyweight has morphed into a small welterweight who can handle foes 10 to 20 pounds heavier than him by the sheer force of his speed.
For all the dissection of his incredible physical attributes, none can be as more pronounced than the pair of calves he possesses. He owns two of the biggest calves among welterweights which are keys to his incomparable and incredible speed and stamina. His calves allow him to pivot and slip through his opponent?s punches with grace and ?lan of a ballet dancer. Only, his footwork is primed and conditioned to provide balance and to anchor to his powerful punches. For all the awkwardness of his foot shuffle as a boxer, he still has the leverage to throw his killer haymakers even when tip-toeing.
Back in 2006, I was interviewed by Star Sports on what impresses me most about Manny?s physique. I pointed to his calves.
Now more than ever, it will be his calves that will keep him in the thick of fights.
The odd thing, however, is that Pacquiao?s bulked up calves are adding to his speed like a sprinter and endurance only long distance runners have although his calf muscles are not the archetypal sinewy ones found among track and field athletes.
A trivia, though. Pacquiao was once as sprinter during his elementary days although there are no records to show how fast have he gone over 100 meters. Indeed, track and field?s loss is boxing?s gain.
Against Mosley, that blinding speed will be his most potent weapon.
Mosley will also have to deal with Manny?s uncanny ways of slipping through the jab while throwing his left counters coming in.
Pacquiao has perfected the art of connecting with his left straight then pivoting to his left then spinning around the left of his opponent in one fluid motion. De la Hoya and Margarito often found their backs on Manny every time the Filipino launches his now patented lunge and spin moves.
Mosley biggest punch is the overhand right. But when it misses, he opens himself to Manny?s killer left straight. I also doubt if Mosley can throw his overhand right as often as he wishes to. Manny simply is too quick for Mosley to load up those killer punches.
Both are good finishers, though although Manny showed signs of mercy against Margarito in his last fight.
Pacquiao however is the hardest fighter to nail with more than five-punch combinations.
The way all the X factors are stacked up against Mosley, it looks like only a lucky punch will stop Manny from recording his 14th straight victory. But only if his legs does not betray him or before Manny catches up with him, whichever comes first.
