Ahead 3-0 in the NBA playoffs, guard Tracy McGrady said in a post game press conference that, “it feels great to make it into the second round”. McGrady ended up losing that playoff series 4 games to 3. Looking ahead of your opponent, no matter how improbable that the upset seems, is blasphemy in professional sports. Boxers are guilty of this in the form of scheduling fights down the road before their “tune up” has taken place. Look at Zab Judah signing to fight Floyd Mayweather, JR. before he was thwarted by Carlos Baldomir. The team of Manny Pacquiao looks like they are guilty of this boxing no-no. The rubber match between the pride of the Philippines and Erik Morales is set for September 16th, but in the meantime Manny is going to fight Oscar Larios in July.
Oscar Larios is coming off of a title losing loss to Israel Vasquez, stopped on cuts in the 3rd. That does not mean that he is dead in the water. In fact the way in which he lost his title will make him hungry. Larios is a dangerous fighter who has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Prior to that loss to Vasquez, Larios was long reigning 122 pound champion with a trunk full of title defenses. As early as five months ago Larios was starting to pop up on top 10 pound for pound lists. To make it on such an elite list you need to be a world class boxer. I understand that Pacquiao is in the top 3 pound for pound fighters in the world at the top of his game. I can talk about how great Manny is all day, but looking past someone as talented as Oscar Larios is foolish, no matter how good you are. This will be a battle, possibly more competitive than Pacquiao vs. Morales III. If Manny is not mentally prepared and focused he could be shocked by a loss in a situation where the odds are heavily in his favor; just like Tracy McGrady.
