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Pacquiao-Morales III Seeks to Validate Some Science, Too By Sid Bañez PhilBoxing.com Thu, 19 Oct 2006 Will some unconventional scientific theories propel Erik Morales to new heights in the boxing cosmos? After Manny Pacquiao pummeled Erik Morales to submission, the ecstatic fan in me all but wrote off the Tijuana warrior. Naturally, I also dismissed his excuse for losing: that he trained wrongly and should have started training camp already in manageable weight. Then came Velocity Personal Training into the picture – a development which to me raises more questions than answers – at the moment. The answers will come, of course, after the two electrifying pugilists meet for their megabuck rubber match on November 18. The questions: Can Velocity’s expertise correct the mistakes of Morales’ training, if indeed there were such, particularly with regard to weight issues? How much of boxing’s conventional training techniques and ideas need to be upgraded to accommodate more science that has been available because weight control has become both urgent and fashionable? Or has there been enough science in the sweet science all along even without high profile intervention from the likes of Velocity? Or to put it more plainly, is Manny Pacquiao’s training regimen scientific enough in this day and age? To be sure, Erik Morales knows that weight issues are inextricably connected with conditioning. He must have grappled with serious weight issues in his career, settled them the conventional way and got away with it. But the weight issue morphed into a monster when Morales got knocked out by Pacquiao, rocking the very foundations of his pride and career. He will seek to re-establish those foundations in Las Vegas come November. Las Vegas, a cosmos in its own right, with its mind-boggling array of worldly attractions, will pulsate even more when these two stars collide again: Pacquaio representing the conventional, basically sweat shop technology versus Morales representing a much more scientific and arguably more sophisticated approach to a brutal sport. Velocity Personal Training, which is located in West Los Angeles, has a diverse clientele that includes figures in the entertainment world and business professionals to plain housewives. And it does have boxing experience. “We trained Oscar De La Hoya for nine fights, he was undefeated," said Jon Jon Park, Velocity training director. "He went through some changes and he decided no longer to use our program. He then lost four fights. He didn't do any weight training, he changed everything. So I think the proof is in the pudding at the risk of sounding conceited." Park also proclaims, “I’ll put my head on the line and say this, that quite frankly, I think in ten years time if the boxers, especially the Latin boxers, if they train like they do now, they're not going to last. Because just like any other sport, it's evolved to such a degree.” The world renowned Freddie Roach seems unperturbed by Morales’ much ballyhooed Velocity connection. Says he, “Sounds like a Rocky story to me. We're going to be in the Wild Card training our asses off the old way, the hard way. New Velocity Gym? Good luck to him. Sounds like he gained a lot of weight. I think he's going to have to concentrate more on losing weight than training for a fight to be honest with you. We're going to be training for the fight," The sweet science has rarely been more overtly scientific. But is the old school in training champion boxers on the way out? The Grand Finale will let us know. Sid Ba?ez is a long time member of Pacland and goes by the handle fistolero. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Sid Bañez. |
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