MANILA, Philippines ? Being exceptional in boxing has its drawbacks.
Larry Merchant, longtime boxing commentator for HBO Sports, said this applies to boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao who has been running out of good opponents as of late.
?I think that Pacquiao has created such a high standard for himself that he’s going to need some serious opposition eventually to convince people that when he fights they are going to see a fight and not a performance or a concert,” he said in Examiner.com.
This was evident in Pacquiao?s last 2 fights.
Although outweighed by Antonio Margarito by 16 pounds, the Filipino champion gave the taller Mexican a heavy beating during their super welterweight fight last November.
Pacquiao, the world’s only 8-division boxing champion, also scored a lopsided decision over an evasive Shane Mosley earlier this month.
Merchant said Pacquiao might lose the attention of casual boxing fans if he keeps on giving them one-sided fights.
?So, I think that Manny needs some good opponents to show himself at his best. And when you intimidate opponents the way he did Mosley, I don’t think that the casual fans are attracted to this phenomenon were very entertained,? he said.
Good call
Meanwhile, Merchant thinks the selection of Juan Manuel Marquez as Pacquiao?s next opponent is a step in the right direction.
He said Marquez, who gave Pacquiao two of his toughest fights, will pose some problems to the Filipino superstar.
“I just remember that Marquez had the kind of quickness and smarts that would give Pacquiao problems,” said Merchant.
“If they fought 24 rounds as close as they did the first two times, then there’s a natural expectation that rounds 25 through 36 will be pretty good too,” he added.
Merchant, however, said the age factor could put the 37-year-old Marquez at a disadvantage.
?My general impression, off the top of my head, at this early stage, is that Marquez has earned the fight but he’s getting older and Pacquiao’s been getting better and stronger,” noted the boxing commentator.
Another ideal opponent for Pacquiao, he said, is newly crowned welterweight champion Victor Ortiz.
“Right now the number one challenger in the world is Ortiz. Now maybe the public doesn’t know him. Maybe he’s only a boxing world figure at this point but another win or two and he’ll be a hot opponent,? said Merchant.
Boxing fans actually clamored for Pacquiao to face fellow pound-for-pound champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.
But the undefeated Mayweather repeatedly declined the fight.
