THERE is almost a unanimous verdict that the third meeting between Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and Mexican boxing legend Juan Manuel Marquez is going to end in a knockout and, of course, that is expected to be scored by the Pacman. But is there a possibility that Marquez could pull an upset and score a knockout? Or better still is there a chance that any of the possible opponents being lined up against the Filipino boxing great could floor and knock out Manny Pacquiao?
?No way,? said Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach when I talked to him last week about the possibility of Pacquiao getting knocked out by any of his opponents.
And the secrets to Manny?s durability inside the ring are his intense physical conditioning and his great confidence in himself.
?Manny has so much confidence in himself and when a fighter is confident, he could withstand pain,? said Roach.
The last time he saw Manny Pacquiao really hurt was when he was gored with powerful punches in his midsection by the bigger Antonio Margarito, Roach said.
?He was really hurt there and I saw it. But since he was in top condition, he was able to withstand it and move away,? he said.
Against Marquez, the possibility of Manny Pacquiao getting knocked out is remote, said the famed trainer, who is with Manny Pacquiao in Baguio City now for the high altitude training in preparation for the November 12 fight against the Mexican warrior.
Roach has a point. In the two previous meetings between Pacquiao and Marquez, the best that the Mexican could do against the Filipino fighter was score points with his effective counterpunching and perhaps hurt him a few times with well-timed punches to the body.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, scored four knockdowns in their last two meetings, three in the first round of their featherweight championship encounter which ended in a draw and one in their second meeting which the Pacman won by split decision.
?A knockdown and a knock out takes away whatever confidence a fighter has on his durability. It destroys any thought of invincibility,? said Roach.
And Roach knew what he was talking about. It was a knockout from the hands of Greg Haugen on August 22, 1985 scored in the 7th of their 10-round bout that sent his boxing career spiralling to an end. After that knockout, he lost five of his last six fights and he decided to retire from active boxing.
?That?s what happened to Abe (Bernabe Concepcion),? Roach said referring to former boxing prospect Bernabe Concepcion who was knocked out in the second round of his world featherweight championship fight against Juan Manuel Marquez last year.
?After that he was never the same again,? he said referring to the 23-year-old fighter who was once touted as the heir-apparent to Manny Pacquiao. Concepcion lost his last fight to an unknown fighter by decision in 8 rounds.
So, if we are to follow Roach?s analysis, the heavier load will be carried by Marquez going into his third meeting with Pacquiao.
With the thought of the four knockdowns possibly haunting him during the fight, the danger of being knocked down again or even knocked out could be a very serious handicap for the Mexican boxing legend.
It?s like the unnerving ?shank? in golf. One shanked shot could lead to more shanks because it destroys a golfer?s confidence.
Roach?s verdict?
This is a fight that Manny Pacquiao will win by knockout and Marquez cannot win by knockout.
