There has been a buzz in boxing?s inner circle. It?s not so much about what Timothy Bradley can do to beat Manny Pacquiao on June 9th. It?s more about the mysterious leg cramps that have surfaced and slowed him down in his last two fights and how they will affect him should they crop up against Bradley. Everybody cramps, but Pacquiao?s muscular legs are detrimental to his in ring ability and, when ailing, turn Superman into Clark Kent.
In last May?s bout with Mosley, the leg cramps surfaced in the 4th round, a round after Pacquiao dropped ?Sugar? and appeared to be on his way to a potential stoppage. But the leg and calf issues hindered his mobility and he wasn?t able to turn into his punches. Fortunately, Mosley had already mentally checked out and was fortunate that the Filipino was unable to step on the gas. Otherwise, Mosley would have likely found himself being stopped for the first time in his career. The issues popped up again in his third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez and caused Pacquiao to appear flat and stiff as he was unable to escape the Mexican?s precision counterpunching. Fortunately, he edged out Marquez with a controversial split decision.
He may not be so lucky if it happens again.
Manny Pacquiao may be a prohibitive favorite to beat Timothy Bradley on Saturday night. But one has to wonder if the leg issues will return. And if they do, he won?t have the luxury of a listless Mosley to bail him out. Bradley is a much more difficult animal to tame and Pacquiao will likely need all of his body parts functioning to full capacity to take out the young, undefeated lion.
It is certainly a point of concern in the Pacquiao camp and Freddie Roach spoke on to FightNews on the leg issues that have reportedly plagued Pacquiao for many years outside of the ring and are now finding their way into the squared circle. ?He was doing too much. He would play basketball three or four times a week,? Roach explains to FightNews when trying to explain the possible origins of the leg cramps. ?He thinks it was because he overworked his legs so he decided to give up basketball.?
Giving up basketball sounds simple enough for a prize fighter who makes millions of dollars fighting and not shooting hoops. But, as Roach explains, the decision was hard on him. ?Boxing is not his favorite sport, basketball is,? Roach says with a laugh. Pacquiao can often be seen shooting a basketball with ?He hasn?t touched a basketball this entire camp. He actually hasn?t played one game of basketball since his last fight against Marquez. I?m sure that was very difficult for him but I think it was the best move that he has made.?
It may be the best move that Pacquiao has made in an attempt to try and quell the near crippling cramps, but Roach alludes to the notion that Pacquiao isn?t doing everything he can to make sure they don?t surface again on Saturday night. ?I would go in a different direction though. (Instead of quitting basketball) I would go to a specialist and get the best doctor in the world to find out what?s wrong,? he sighs. According to a recent column on Grantland.com, Pacquiao has yet to see a specialist or even go as far as admit that there may be something wrong with his legs. But Pacquiao is from the old school and is reluctant to allow modern medicine to come in contact with his body. He probably would rather just pray on it and hope for the best.
Thus far, there haven?t been any issues with his legs during this training camp. Roach says that he is stretching and exercising with strength and conditioning coaches Alex Ariza and Marvin Somodio regularly and hasn?t seen any signs of the ailment returning. But when asked if there were any leg issues in his training camps as he prepared for Mosley and Marquez, Roach says through a sheepish grin ?No.?
With these issues plaguing Pacquiao in back to back fights, you would think that Freddie Roach would have prepared a plan b in the event that the Pac Man is rendered somewhat immobile. He can?t be a sitting duck because unlike Mosley and Marquez, a 28-year-old Bradley will likely feast on a stationary Pacquiao.
?We?ll deal with that as it comes,? Roach says when asked what Team Pacquiao will do if they notice their fighter slowing down. ?Buboy (Fernandez) and Marvin know the trigger points to relieve the pressure. We saw a fight therapist. Hopefully we can keep them away.?
If Pacquiao is relying on God to keep the pain away on Saturday night, Roach?s best bet is to hope that God is on their side Saturday night.
