For this week’s Mailbag we have Manny Mania on the rise. We’ve got plenty Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera questions that have captivated just about everybody, a brooding fan who doesn’t exactly understand stories that are or aren’t written by yours truly awaiting an answer from me, one writes about how in the world the odds on favorite of a fight could favor Pac-Man over El Terrible, with another presenting an argument as to why Manny Pacquiao belongs enshrined inside Boxing’s Hall of Fame like predecessors Barrera and Morales are projected to be. He’ll hear my reasons on it, along with a tidbit on a little fact from the golden achieves picked up inside of a Bible Of Boxing publication that’s been printed on the back of those old pinup Seagram’s V.O. pictorials circa early 1983.
I’m a fan of those pound for pound boxers, because they don’t disappoint fans, win or lose and one of them is Manny Pacquiao.. but regarding his rematch with Erik Morales, he really needs to mix up his arsenal, and his point of attack, I believe Morales weakness is his body and he should use his right hand more often as he use his left hand..if he cannot do this I’m sure it will end up the same as the first fight, worst case hell get knocked out by Erik Morales.
Rico
Rico,
I followed up to you in the usages of the Morales’s left. That’s definitely going to be a factor on whether he can use it to set the proper paces right. Erik is so tall that throwing that long ranged right alone I agree won’t be enough to knockout Manny, particularly if Pacquiao is moving more to his left. I’m thinking the major thing about now has got to be whether Pacquiao’s footwork will play a bigger role to offset Erik’s setting his punches up. That’s what makes this fight interesting because Zahir Raheem used it to mastery against Erik. Although Morales looked fatigued in that last fight, don’t expect him to be looking that way against Pacquiao. I also think the extra-added incentive to eradicate that loss against Z-Man would be working in the back of his subconscious. After watching the 2nd fight between Hopkins and Taylor, I was totally disgusted in the commentary of colonel Bob Sheridan and his sidekick Dave. How in the bloody hell did they have Taylor winning 7 out of the 1st 8 rounds. I will never watch a HBO PPV event ever again.
For these so-called experts who try to disillusion the Boxing fan, you can’t disillusion the REAL boxing fan who knows what Boxing is all about. Or is Boxing just about the money HBO. Bernard Hopkins is a legend who knows his art form to perfection. At 40,nearly 41,he still beat Taylor with his vast array of superior skills. Taylor is strong, but he isn’t any where near the skill level as Hopkins is. I could sit here all day and ridicule HBO and there network of disillusion, but i will not allow myself to be brought down by there low levels. To the Colonel and his sidekick Dave, next time you commentate a fight I suggest you take off the blinkers and open your eyes, because a legend like Bernard Hopkins shouldn’t be disrespected by imbeciles who are clearly one eyed. Last but not least, I just want to say thank you to Bernard Hopkins for inspiring people like me to become better people and to learn Boxing technically correct. Bernard Hopkins is the Champion of all Champions, always has been and always will be. My greatest thanks goes out to Bernard Hopkins, a true warrior.
Jacko
Jacko,
Thanks for those words to vent your feelings along about. Sometimes the fans are the better judges from the purest perspectives of boxing, perhaps a lot more than given any just due amount of credit for. Seeing Winky Wright recently on his worst night tripped me out. I definitely wouldn’t pay to see Wright fight after that.
Who do you think should? He may be the only junior middleweight left.
Benny
Benny,
I think Wright could be entitled to having an off night like anyone else. But the fight I really would like to see is for Antonio Margarito to fight Winky. It certainly couldn’t be an issue of weight, as Antonio weighed closer to 163 pounds in his return fight with Daniel Santos. Taylor could fight either winner of that one.
Mr. George,
I learned that Pacman-El Terrible battle is a title fight eliminator for the WBC SF title. What if Pacquiao loss to Morales, (which i pray he won’t) what is the possibility of Pacquiao-Barrera II? If Erik refuse to have a shot of a title. Does Barrera and his camp has all the liberty to opt whomever he wants to fight? What are the arrangements for that?
Thanks and God bless!
Reno Gatdula
Reno,
Thanks for your questions. My own opinion of that is should Erik Morales or Manny Pacquiao opt to fighting Barrera again, either one of them would be formidable to rise for the call. In fact, I wouldn’t even dismiss the notion that Pac Man whether win, lose, or draw, could pass up making an offer to Zahir Raheem need be should he (Raheem) not pass up fighting him on HBO. What would Raheem be risking anyway Morales already having lost against him? I actually believe that Marco Antonio Barrera would benefit greatly from fighting Zahir Raheem. You’re never in control as to calling any fight. You might give your sentiment as to which you’d like to be fighting, but nothing is sealed without the contract signed. You get one period to take a fight before the mandatory is ordered as an obligatory fight for the champion, but other than that it’s a large misconception to think these guys call their own shots. That’s like them being bigger then the very organizations they’re fighting under.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEE THIS 3RD FIGHT. IF YOU WANT TO DRAW MORE POSITIVE ATTENTION TO THIS FIGHT I WOULD REMOVE THE WORDS “TAMPERING WITH THE SCALES” AND DONT FORGET THAT CHICO SPIT OUT HIS MOUTH PIECE TWICE ON PURPOSE AND GOT PLENTY OF TIME FROM REF WEEKS. THERE ARE ONLY FEW AND RARE TIMES THAT SOMEONE SPITS OUT THE MOUTH PIECE LEGITAMATELY. THE ONLY ONE THAT COMES TO MIND IS WHEN TYSON WAS CRAWLING IN THE RING TO GET HIS AGAINST BUSTER DOUGLAS KNOCKED HIM OUT. BACK TO CORRALES AND CASTILLO, HE (CHICO) DIDNT MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT IT, WHY DO YOU? TAKE THE LOSS AND MOVE ON. WHY DONT YOU MENTION THIS ON YOUR STORY? IF YOU’RE GOING TO WRITE A STORY PLEASE STATE THE FACTS ON BOTH FIGHTS. YOU WOULDNT WANT TO SOUND BIASED, WOULD YOU?
SERGIO
Sergio,
I’d be remised not to have mentioned (of the self dislodging Corrales mouthpiece) along with 556,011 other writers that must’ve gotten you some pretty stiff jointed rheumatoid complaining about it.
Outside of the RSR Press Conference accompanied with what I’ve written about the first fight, I’m still wondering what in heck you’re still annunciating retentively on.
Hi George, This is my second time around. Now I would like to ask your opinion why on earth the odds makers of Vegas installed Manny as the favorite with his rematch with Morales this early? What is their basis? As Morales won their first encounter, it goes without saying that he should be the favorite, right? Perhaps with your inside knowledge you can enlighten us about this. Regards and keep well,
Malem50
Malem50,
It just sweetens the pot for making money on the other end. That’s all. Building the anticipation of watching those odds change by fight time is what keeps Vegas going hombre. I love it. To be honest those odds don’t look too favorable to change so abruptly having the Pacquiao money coming on like gold rushes, which is well meaning for the gamble. These things are set with what a fighter has done for you lately. I say pump that money in on the losing side only if you see the odds not dramatically tilting the other way. If they do, you stand to not make much of a killing as you would otherwise. Keep a sharp eye on it.
latino_rule
I’ve research about filipino hall of famer, and I found out that two there are two filipino hall famer in the name of Gabriel “Flash” Elorde (the longest title holder of Jr. Lightweight division for more than seven years) and Pancho Villa (the first boxer who receive the Ring Magazine belt). In this time Erik Morales and Marco Barrera are shoe in to become hall of famer,
Do you think Manny Pacquiao has a chance? There are some reason i ask this, these are: (1) Pacman is the first asian boxer to be a three time world champ (2) The first asian boxer to be in the PPV main event (3) I think he is the first prof. boxer to jump in seven kind of division, from light flyweight to Jr. Lightweight (Dela hoya had only five) take note he began his boxing career at 106 lbs one lb shy in strawweight (4) I think heis the fastest 3 time world champ (it takes 5 yrs) (5) He is one of the youngest world champ at 19 yrs old. What do you think in your opinion?
Latino_Rule,
You’ve done some homework. I couldn’t see anything to disagree on with Pacquiao for numbers five you stated on being one of the youngest world champions coming from the Philippines. Particularly since in his earlier reign junior lightweight World Champion Ben Villaflor was 19 years old when he captured that acclaim being the first, and cancelled along the way thirteen straight pugilists to have earned that distinction. Gabriel was really a clever lightweight who subsisted within the Super Featherweight rankings quite intelligently with enormous successes except until he met Carlos Ortiz; the Lightweight and International Boxing Hall of Fame Champion; and was thwarted back by him as (Gabriel) stretched his junior lightweight defenses levied between weights. He really was emphatically a Lightweight fighter for most of his life with more resolve at a lower weight.
I’ve got one for your nostalgic Ring Magazine enthusiasts to pass a litmus test on for everyone to get a hold of. In some pretty bold print on back of an 8X10 pinup picture inside it states the following, “The longest reign in junior lightweight history ensued – three years, 10 months, along with 10 successful defenses.” That fighter depicted was Sammy Serrano, and on top of that I hadn’t seen “The Ring” being sued before for giving false interprets. Moral to that story is many are called, few are chosen, because a feat like that could only qualify one to be walking inside of the undaunted House of Living Legends. Guess what? Samuel Serrano was a damned terrific fighter who hasn’t made that status. But check this… Unlike attaching it as to being something as idiotic like many do yelling about it like it was politics; I realized he had demonstrated all those criteria’s in deeds alone leaving it onto the playing field whilst he was a Two-time champion; and I thought even then that someday they’d judge a champ as champ for what he is; then MLB Cooperstown took that clich? further and came around full circle to break that barrier down with a better twist about judging for what one does while one does it; where it counts most. So there is still hope.
Manny would be judged by the particulars for what he does right now. That’s all left up to the boxing writers in all honesty to studying all types of facts, longevity, and opinions etc., for them to undertake voting on.
