Does anyone feel as I do, that Manny Pacquiao and Brandon Rios are very far away? It?s one thing to cover a press conference in the United States, even digitally, no matter where on the map it appears. But China is another story. It?s on the map but almost off the map. There is no further away than China.
Pacquiao and Rios are in China not only to support Bob Arum and Top Rank?s latest discovery, Zou Shiming. They also came to Beijing, the first stop on a 23,722-mile international media tour, to formally announce their November 23 fight at The Venetian Macao.
While in China, the two fighters did what tourists do. They visited the Great Wall. They visited Tiananmen Square. They saw exactly how they measure up against Yao Ming.
There is no animosity between Pacquiao and Rios. As they began their arduous climb at Great Wall at Shuiguan, the two fighters traded repartee like a vaudeville act of long standing.
?I hadn?t planned on beginning training camp until August 12,? said Bam Bam, ?but I think I began it today.?
Manny raced Rios up the steps. Rios is younger than Pacquiao. He may be less shopworn than Pacquiao. He may be less distracted than Pacquiao.
?Now I know that I?ve got my work cut out for me,? the Pacman said, ?after racing against Brandon up those steps. He?s already in good condition!? Brandon Rios has traveled vast distances, but he has yet to see the world.
?I can?t believe the beauty I have seen in Macau and Beijing,? he said. ? have seen a life and culture I never imagined. It?s been an incredible experience for me. The media and the fans have been wonderful. I know I take a little getting used to but they seem to understand my sense of humor. I think some of them think I?m Chinese.?
We never mistook Rios for being Chinese, but he brought it all back home just in case.
?I want everyone in southern California to know that traffic on the 405 has nothing on Beijing?s rush hour.?
The Chinese may be getting to know Brandon Rios and they?re in for a treat. Whether they are hardcore fight fans or spectacle junkies, they?re about to see Rios do what he does best. That his best might not be good enough against Manny Pacquiao is exactly what makes boxing so thrilling.
Pacquiao, of course, is the ghost in the machine. He makes the world turn. He makes the counters click. Still, however Asian, he is not Chinese. But he is a global superstar. Even the locals recognized Manny Pacquiao.
?I am very excited to be fighting in Macau,? Manny said. ?It?s a fertile market for boxing. New market and new people provide great exposure for boxing and it is a great way to increase the sport?s popularity globally. Hopefully this will help develop interest in boxing in mainland China. I think it?s good for boxing to have more good Asian boxers to turn pro. I think Macau can be a boxing capital of the world.?
On a lighter note Pacquiao said, ?It will be nice to fight in a location where I will not have any jet lag. Macau and the Philippines share the same time zone and the same climate. No adjustments for me this time, since Macau is only a 90-minute flight away from the Philippines.?
Some are claiming that Rios is ready made for Manny Pacquiao. He?s certainly there to be hit. But Rios is a force of nature at or near his prime. He has as good a chance as anyone of punching Pacquiao into retirement.
?I have seen Rios fight and I am confident that I will win the fight. Rios is an aggressive fighter. He likes to fight on the inside and toe-to-toe. He likes to fight, period. One of my advantages is my experience against better opposition. I think the question that needs to be asked is, ?Is Rios ready for me???
That?s a fine question, one for which we?ll have an answer soon. But Manny reassured us that he?s not taking this fight lightly.
?I will begin three months of training in August,? he continued, ?when I return to the Philippines after the media tour. I?ll do six weeks of conditioning and building up my stamina, followed by a six-week training camp with Freddie Roach when he arrives in October. I?m 34 and I now need to train over a longer period. The focus of this camp will be on speed and footwork, which have been my advantages in previous successful fights. I?ll be more careful to avoid the careless error I made against Marquez.?
That ?careless error? wouldn?t have been possible were it not for a sharpshooter like Marquez.
?I was in my best shape when I fought Marquez last December. I was winning the fight. I had taken control. But I got careless and made a mistake, being in the wrong place for him to land that final punch. But that?s boxing. That?s what makes it so exciting.?
