IB- August 16, 2010 – Manny Pacquiao believes he is invincible, king of the ring in 5 different weight divisions. As all great fighters, Pacquiao is not willing to accept defeat but is he taking too much of a risk in fighting Antonio Margarito.
Pacquiao won his first world title in the Flyweight division, weighing in at 112 lbs. and is the current WBC Welterweight champion and shows no weaknesses in his arsenal so being lenient in negotiating a fight with Margarito does not seem to be a big problem.
Pacquiao started his professional boxing career at a meager weight of 106 lbs, fighting his first ten contests weighing no more than 110 lbs. Since then, Pacquiao has won the WBC flyweight, WBC Super Bantamweight, WBC Super Featherweight, and the WBC lightweight. Pacquiao currently reigns as the WBO welterweight (147 lb.) champion.
Pacquiao now ventures into no-man?s land as it looks, he will battle Margarito on November 13th of this year, A very bold move for the fighter known as the best ?Pound-for-Pound?.
The fight between Pacquiao and Margarito was one of the contests on my ?wish list?, a fight I said I would like to see. However, I would like to see the fight on an even playing field. As it turns out, two of the main ingredients in matching a contest are favoring Margarito, one being location and the other the weight issue.
Bob Arum is currently negotiating to have the contest fought at the Cowboy?s Stadium in Dallas Texas.
Should the contest be held in Dallas, then Mexican fans will surely flock by the thousands to see and hope Margarito can pull off what no other Mexican icon has been able to do, and that is defeat Pacquiao. Understandably, Pacquiao?s last fight in Dallas was met with plenty of support by Mexican fight fans but that was against a non-Mexican opponent, won?t happen this time.
The crowd itself is something I?m sure Pacquiao can handle, after all he was successful in silencing this issue when he fought Mexican greats, Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, and Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacquiao even did a number on Mexican American icon Oscar De LaHoya. So maybe the crowd is not so much an issue, nevertheless combine this advantage with the weight issue and together they become a detrimental factor.
Margarito stands tall, near 6ft. compared to the 5?6? frame of Pacquiao. Margarito?s reach stretches 73? compared to Pacquiao?s reach of 67?. Now wishful fans will compare the Margarito fight with that of De LaHoya but the big difference in the fight with De LaHoya was the WEIGHT. De LaHoya had to shed and dehydrate to make the weight of 145 lbs. and anyone in boxing knows the last few pounds are the toughest and the most damaging to a fighter.
In this contest against Margarito the weight is being negotiated at a catch-weight of 150 lbs. which means Pacquiao will most likely weigh in between 142-145 lbs. and Margarito, you can bet will come in at the limit of 150lbs. or if there is a give or take a pound clause in the contract, Margarito will weigh in at 151 lbs. You can bet Margarito will take advantage of this opportunity.
The weight issue by far is the most damaging and threatening to Pacquiao and I for one cannot figure out why team Pacquiao is even considering a consent to the catch weight of 150lbs. After all it is not like Margarito is on top of the world right now.
No need for Pacquiao to consent to any of these two issues and should stand his ground, at the very least, either have the fight in the Philippines or make the fight at 145lbs. max, preferably, the weight issue and not going above 145lbs.
Margarito is not in a position to argue and demand anything, Margarito?s boxing career is in dire straits and I?d be willing to bet Margarito will take this fight no matter what the terms.
My question is, where is Freddy Roach and why has he not been vocal in this negotiating. Roach, of all people should know the consequences a fight like this can have on his fighter. Was it not the outspoken words of Roach being critical of Murad Muhammad based on the safety and well being of Pacquiao. Roach said and made it clear his interest with Pacquiao was merely to assist and help the fighter from being cheated (referring to dealing between Pacquiao and Muhammad). Well allowing the huge advantages Margarito is being served for this fight, to me, is a big form of cheating.
I have no doubt Pacquiao can beat Margarito on a level playing field but considering the terms of this contest unfortunately, the odds have shifted in favor of Margarito.
I find it difficult to pick Pacquiao as the victor over Margarito, but easy for me to be in the Pac-Man?s corner.
I?m wishing Pacquiao well and may you pull this venture off with a victory.
Should Pacquiao pull off a victory over Margarito under this contract arrangement, then surely he will go down in history as the greatest.
