Jun 24, 2009 –
Things are getting out of hand so it is “The Boxing Bookie’s” job to right the ship.
I find it completely and utterly insane that Pac-mania has taken control of even the most astute boxing experts across the world. It’s a disgusting phenomenom and it is the exact same thing that took the boxing world by storm in the late 1990’s as Felix “Tito” Trinidad fanaticism reached an all-time fervor.
Shiet… I even remember some idiots stating that Trinidad had the capability to move on up to the heavyweight division for a shot at the crown of “Baddest Man on the Planet”.
You gotta love boxing fans… they’re so excruciatingly dellusional.
It’s also as if those that witnessed the De la Hoya-Trinidad match-up fail to remember the first half of the bout in which the Puerto Rican looked about as lost as a four-year old in the Congo.
For most fight fans, they remember when people were seriously contemplating whether “Tito” could actually beat a prime Roy Jones Jr. back in 2001. Looking back now, it’s about the most absurd proposal that one could ever muster being that Trinidad eventually received a triple-AAA grade ass kicking by the then unknown and unceleberated, Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins. Entering his bout with Hopkins, Trinidad had supposedly solidified himself as a legitimate middleweight contender in the eyes of the general public being that he nearly decapitated the weakest of the 160 pound title-holders at the time in William Joppy.
In my eyes… this whole hoopla is eerily reminiscent of Manny Pacquiao’s move up in weight class to defeat the tough, but limited David Diaz at 135 pounds. Everyone was so quick to annoint Manny as a legitimate “big man” that knew no limits to his fighting abilities.
Since Pacquiao’s victory over Diaz, he has taken on two larger, former champions in Oscar De la Hoya and Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton. Pointing to those two victories, the boxing public has automatically catapulted Manny to all-time, great status stating that there is no man from 140 pounds or under that should even be given the slightest notion that they’d be even competitive with the “Pacman”.
There’s a reason that Freddie Roach literally “loved” those particular fights for Manny.
Did we all forget that merely 16 months ago, Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez engaged in a highly competitive contest in which Manny won by split decision? Yes… Pacquiao has flaws if you choose to open your eyes. If you lose rounds… you are flawed, it’s just that simple.
The truth of the matter is… Manny Pacquiao is a great fighter no doubt about it. However, he has yet to face a legitimately, talented man in his prime at 135 pounds or above.
Diaz was heavy-footed, slow, and considered to be by far the weakest of all the lightweight belt-holders at the time.
De la Hoya was much more business man fighting for the money than true competitor later on in his career. When a bout was fought at a slow pace that could be controlled by his fading jab, Oscar looked as though he still might have “something” left in the tank. Hence the supposed “controversy” in his fight with Mayeather.
Hatton had by all accounts lost to southpaw Luis Collazo, received a brutal beatdown at the hands of Floyd Mayweather, and was saved by the referee against the tough but limited Juan Lazcano. His bout with Paulie Malignaggi was more of a display of how much the Miguel Cotto fight zapped the “Magic Man” of his fighting confidence.
This article is not meant to discredit Pacquiao in any way, shape, or form. It is merely stating facts based on his opposition entering their “super” fights.
Hatton and De la Hoya are big names on a resume.
Just the same way many idiots point to Shane Mosley’s victories over an extremely shot, faded, and over-the-hill Fernando Vargas as quality victories today.
There are names on a resume and there are quality wins over underrated opponents. Sometimes there are both.
Having went on that rant… Joshua Clottey would absolutely embarrass Manny Pacquiao should they ever square off.
You see… Clottey is a man in his physical prime with the skillset to match any of the top 147 pound fighters in the world. Yes, he’s not a big name and no, he doesn’t bring a big payday to the table. Nevertheless, the truth of the matter is that Clottey would expose the fact that Manny Pacquiao has no business at 147 pounds against a top ten fighter.
Let me give you guys a quick history lesson… when Don King proposed the Felix Trinidad fight to him, Roy stated something akin to… “No problem. Just keep him away from Bernard Hopkins because he’ll lose.”
Roy could see the past the “big name syndrome” and actually understood that certain fights or fighters are just too much for the budding “superstar”.
Now it seems as though the “big name syndrome” has taken over Pac-mania and many are even looking past his fight with Cotto towards a megafight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
This is crazy talk.
History never repeats itself but it often rhymes. It’s a good thing there is no tournament taking place today because there were, I’d say for Pacquiao to stay the hell away from Joshua Clottey.
PS. People seem to forget that most difficult jump in weight class is from 140 to 147 pounds. The fact that Miguel Cotto has more than proved himself as a top five fighter with the big boys at welterweight lead me to believe that he will welcome the “Pacman” to pounds and pounds of pain come November. Roach should stick by his guns and force the fight to be at 143 or go after Shane Mosley which is a much easier fight…
