FightFan.com?s Ace Freeman and Joe Bruiser caught up with TSN?s ‘The Coach’ Russ Anber to discuss last Saturday?s rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera. Read a breakdown of the fight, what?s next for the Pacman, and more! Only on FightFan.com!
FF: Can you give us your thoughts on the Pacquiao vs. Barrera rematch from last Saturday?
RA: Well, unfortunately it didn?t turn out to be the war that everybody expected. It was an entertaining fight, but I have to quote fellow In this Corner host Darren Dutchyshen who said, ?If you?re thinking about retiring, chances are you already have.? I think with Barrera he had one foot out the door already. It seemed to me like it was some redemption for him to be able to go the distance after getting knocked out in the first fight.
Instead of trying to analyze the fight, which is a bit futile because Pacquiao clearly proved his dominance, it?s time to celebrate what was a fantastic career for Marco Antonio Barrera who was one of the greatest Mexican fighters ever and certainly one of the best of our generation.
FF: We noticed a big improvement in Pacquiao?s jab and defence where he showed a lot of angles and made himself difficult for Barrera to hit. Have you noticed much improvement in Pacquiao?s all around game?
RA: My biggest thing is that it would seem as though he went and got himself a lead hand. To me he was basically a one-armed fighter which I thought could be a downfall for him, but I think credit has to be given to him and Freddie Roach, who?s developed a superb right hand on him. He?s got a jab, he?s got a good right hook, he throws the jab and follows up with the big left and follows the left up with a right hook. He?s really becoming a multi-dimensional fighter. I think his speed is phenomenal and that he can get away with a lot of things because of that speed and because he?s a southpaw.
FF: We talked about Barrera fighting to survive, but was Manny lacking a little bit in going after him aggressively?
RA: I?m going to say that they both gave it their best and when you have one fighter just trying to survive as Barrera was, it makes it really difficult for the attacking fighter to draw the opponent out of that game plan. Barrera was determined just to go the distance and I think Pacquiao knew that he didn?t need to take unnecessary risks to go for the knockout when he was winning all the rounds. I think Pacquiao did what he had to do and won 10 out of the 12 rounds. I think he did a good job. I?ll tell you though, if Barrera did try and look for the knockout and opened up, Pacquiao would have looked for another gear and I?ll bet you he would have found it.
FF: I thought it showed a great deal of poise and experience for Pacquiao to be able to put a points performance together like that. Earlier in his career I think he would have been compelled to fight like a hurricane the whole time, but in this fight a little more of a reserved approach worked well and kudos to Manny for taking his time and still winning in a dominating fashion.
RA: He knew he was winning the rounds without having to commit to much, but had it got to the point where Barrera was going to start looking to win rounds himself, I think you would have seen Pacquiao turn it up and go for it. Manny realized he could sit back and box and he did it well.
FF: Many seem to think a Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez fight is the next big super fight out there at 130. Is that a fight you think needs to happen?
RA: I love that fight; that fight is the fight that has to happen in my eyes. It?s a fight that didn?t really come out definitively the first time and people would love to see it again. I love Marquez as a fighter and he?s a pound-for-pound class fighter himself and it would be a wonderful matchup. It?s a fight that should happen very soon with how important it is for that division. I hope they do get it made soon because I?m not sure how much longer Pacquiao can effectively make 130 pounds.
FF: In their first fight, Marquez got up from several early knockdowns to give Pac some problems stylistically. Since that time though, Pacquiao has added a sharp right hand and many more elements to his game. Do you think that would make a rematch with Marquez any different?
RA: Pacquiao has improved a lot since then, but Marquez is a determined and in your face type of fighter. He?s one of the best in the world and knows how to find a way to win. At the same time, Barrera did drop Marquez hard in that last fight and one thing Marquez does is get into wars. When you think about that and how much Pacquiao has improved, you?ve got to wonder. One thing I will say though, is that like Pacquiao was ultimately the wrong style for Barrera, so too could Marquez be a tough style for Pacquiao. I think it?s a great matchup and one I?d be eager to watch.
FF: A hotly debated topic right now is about Pacquiao?s possible decision to move up to 135 pounds. Freddie Roach mentioned to me a while ago that guys at 135 seem to be a lot bigger than 130 and below and that you have guys dropping from the 150 range sucking weight to make 135. How big a difference is there between 130 and 135 pounds?
RA: A huge difference; a very big difference. Pacquiao doesn?t have the frame of a lightweight because when you think of lightweights we?re talking about guys that walk around well above 150 pounds. They come down to 135 and everything is bigger – the height, the frame, the length, the bone structures. We?re talking significantly bigger fighters at that weight. Pacquiao is a packet of dynamite, but compared to natural lightweights it?s a smaller packet of dynamite.
Having said that, Pacquiao is becoming a more well rounded fighter and is more difficult to hit. He has great speed, which will help in that weight class but his power will certainly not be there the same way it has been in the lower classes.
FF: How do you think Pacquiao?s strength and power would stack up to bigger fighters like a Diaz who will look to go toe-to-toe? Do you think it?s not as wise an idea for him to look to go in with a big lightweight like that and look to bang with them?
RA: Definitely. He?s going to have to use his speed and show angles in with guys like that. But you know, if I?m Pacquiao, those are the fights I?m looking for. Go to 135, and look for the top guys right away and look for the high profile title fights. He doesn?t need to go up there and start working his way through the ranks at 135 because, like Freddie Roach said, it?s a different ball game at that weight. He should go right after the title holders. If he wins, it?s fantastic. If he loses, he lost to the best of the bigger guys.
FF: There has been a big movement in the press, maybe somewhat fueled by Bob Arum and Oscar Delahoya, to get the public thinking that Pacquiao should be rated pound-for-pound No. 1 above Mayweather due to his exciting style. What do you think about that at this point? Can a case be made to rank Pacquiao above Mayweather at present?
RA: Aah, who cares? What does that even mean? I?m not big into pound-for-pound rankings because they?re so subjective. It?s not like two guys can face off for a literally pound-for-pound title, so let them say whatever they want.
I will say this: pound-for-pound in terms of excitement, Pacquiao is No. 1. So call him “pound-for-pound the most exciting fighter in boxing” and I don?t think too many can disagree.
