MANNY PACQUIAO MAY BE a fearless attacker, but he won?t be caught napping in defense either when he tangles anew with Juan Manuel Marquez on March 15.
Heeding calls from concerned quarters who noted that the Filipino ring icon still drops his guards when he launches his killer blows, Freddie Roach has reportedly given emphasis on defense in Pacquiao?s training regimen at the American?s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.
And, based from eyewitnesses? accounts at the sweaty gym atop a laundry shop in Hollywood, Pacquiao is eagerly absorbing the novel techniques designed to help transform him into an offensive demon and a defensive marvel.
Clearly, Pacquiao doesn?t want to let Marquez escape again with a draw, which the Mexican managed to pull off despite being knocked down three times in the first round in their first encounter in 2004.
Of course, it?s not possible to drop a natural stance overnight or even in five weeks but Team Pacquiao is making the most out of the remaining time to make Pacman at least a decent defender.
The Wild Card insider, who also truthfully noted that Pacquiao encountered weight problems in his rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera last October, observed that in Pacquiao?s recent sparring sessions against Daniel Cervantes or Juan Garcia, the Filipino star showed some semblance of defense.
This, the insider added, was an indication of Pacquiao?s determined bid to include Marquez in his long list of Mexican victims and formally crown himself as the world super featherweight champion.
