LAS VEGAS, Nevada ? It has been unusually quiet for a Manny Pacquiao fight in this loud city. This is not to say that nothing is happening; in fact, it?s the opposite. The Pacquiao-Vargas world title fight is sharing the garish Vegas spotlight with the wind-up of the US election campaign, the world rodeo championships and Celine Dion, all formidable opposition for any entertainment enterprise. That may be a factor, but there are others. One of the most uncommon would be the absence of an HBO coverage, a staple of all major boxing events. But that is not a reflection on the fight, but rather of Pacquiao?s commitment to the Filipino people to not miss a session of the Senate. Previously, the giant network determined fight dates and the attendant promotions. This time, everyone adjusted to the Philippine Senate?s break.
This generated talk that perhaps Pacquiao was a vast underdog and the fight would not sell. Frankly, this is also untrue. Though the betting odds here started high, that has changed, especially after the media workouts which, to some extent, have quelled fears that this could go badly for Pacquiao.
?Manny?s legacy is intact,? explains Top Rank founder Bob Arum. ?Nobody has ever done this before. He?s sitting on 15 committees and chairman of two of them. If he loses, he may or may not decide to retire. But he is doing everything to fulfill his promise to the Philippine people.?
In fact, there are several factors going Pacquiao?s way. The concern was about the injured shoulder that hampered Pacquiao?s offense against Floyd Mayweather. The injury happened during a 2009 sparring session, when Manny accidentally hit his sparmate in the head. The pain, however, would subside during training, until the run-up to the Mayweather bout. There was talk of postponing the fight. But Pacquiao?s best friend and trainer Buboy Fernandez would not have it.
?I told him, we chased Mayweather; we challenged him. We can?t move the fight back. What will people say?? Fernandez revealed. ?I told him, injured or not, we have to push through with the fight. Luckily, the results were good, and he came out okay.?
That shoulder which was his weakness is now his strength. The healing process enabled Pacquiao discover ways to develop his shoulder strength, which made him stronger than ever. Sportshub ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
?Nobody knows this, but this is the first time that coach Freddie (Roach) started complaining a little because Manny?s so strong,? Fernandez revealed. ?He asked me to do the punch mitts with Manny. We don?t know where all his strength is coming from.?
Fernandez also said that the plan is to show Vargas just how strong Pacquiao is. They will definitely engage, and if the opportunity comes to take the champion out early, they will. Up to Thursday, Pacquiao was still running at the UNLV track, despite the influx of visitors and well-wishers. He was all smiles, so obviously drinking in his passion and loving his job. From this writer?s perspective, Pacquiao seemed more packed than usual. And the supposed loss of speed was shown to be a myth. Pacquiao was fast, comparable to his speed in the past.
?They say his speed is gone. I don?t think so. Where did it go?? says Cameron Dunkin, who has managed Tim Bradley, Brandon Rios and Vargas. ?Bradley and Brandon both told me the same thing after fighting Manny. They both said they had never seen anything like that before. And that?s what I?ve been telling Jessie. Manny Pacquiao is a once-in-a-lifetime fighter.?
Pacquiao?s experience, strength and speed will test the defense and mobility of Vargas. A convincing win may open the doors to a possible rematch with Mayweather, though the latter?s camp will deny it. By all accounts, Pacquiao is far from finished.
