LOS ANGELES, California, United States of America — Manny Pacquiao using the boxing gloves of his choice does not necessarily give him a cutting edge.
It’s not the brand and type of gloves which regularly freezes Pacquiao’s opponents.
It’s the mule kick, the ferocity, the blazing brick in those fists that do the job.
But Pacquiao loves to bang it up with the best out there wearing the Cleto Reyes gloves.
It’s hard to tell.
Fighting in a Cleto Reyes gives Manny that pure, raw, towering feeling?
He will not admit it.
In the singularity of combat, Pacquiao could feel like he’s fighting bare-knuckle in those red Mexican boxing gears.
That, too, he won’t say.
* * *
It’s like this. As early as last Friday, Pacquiao had been telling the media he does not mind using a different pair of gloves.
As long as they are both eight ounces, like those of his opponent, it doesn’t matter.
What truly matters is how to connect the big ones, he insisted (Depende yan kung anong suntok ang tatama.).
OK. He didn’t mind.
But then, his handlers had to save him the worry when the possibility lurked that Pacquiao would be divorced from his favorite gloves in his showdown with Erik Morales on Saturday evening (Sunday morning in Manila).
* * *
Pacquiao’s business manager Rod Nazario last week moved ahead to provide his fighter a pair of the thickly padded Winning gloves.
You know, to familiarize with them, just in case.
Winning is the brand preferred by Erik Morales.
Much as he liked it, Morales could not, however, insist on the use of Winning for the March 19 encounter.
Why? Because that luxury is enjoyed only by world champions.
These crown-holders could demand and decree what fight gears to use.
* * *
The situation had looked near perfect for Pacquiao.
He could use his favorite Reyes gloves.
And Morales could stick to the Japanese brand.
In fact, the Nevada State Athletic Commission had announced it was allowing both fighters to use the gloves of their preference.
Pacquiao and his handlers had a good night’s sleep.
The question on the choice of fight gear was now the least of their worries.
* * *
Sorry, folks. But a day after we reported that Pacquiao had scored a big point when he was allowed the Cleto Reyes brand, there came this inexplicable twist.
The Nevada Commission has suddenly ordered Pacquiao to wear the thickly padded Winning gloves for his next fight.
It’s hard to tell. But the impact of that reversal could be equal to a point deduction inside the ring.
Or it could have no effect at all, as Manny has been insisting.
Freddie Roach, meanwhile, said they could not do anything.
A contract is a contract and it should not be violated.
* * *
It does not matter, Pacquiao continued to insist.
It won’t make any difference.
Of course, there’s a whole world of difference.
Winning, the gloves of Morales’ choice, is thickly padded in the knuckle area.
Unlike the thinner Cleto Reyes, whose pads are more concentrated around the wrist area.
It does not need a boxing scholar to conclude that Pacquiao could suddenly feel orphaned when he starts spearing his foe using a strange weapon.
Pardon my saying this: but going for a knockout with an alien gear could suddenly feel like making love using a condom for Manny.
He could lose that loving feeling.
As simple as that.
Correction: It will never be as simple as that.
