MEXICO CITY–They said it would be a frosty day in the great Mexican capital city before a large crowd would turn out to see a foreign fighter who wrecked so many of this nation’s ring heroes.
Well, whoever “they” are or were, they were right. There’s a real nip in the air this morning as final preparations are being made in Revolution Square to host the final leg of the Juan Manuel Marquez-Manny Pacquiao Nov 12 “Chapter III” bout press tour.
Cold winds blew through Districto Federal Wednesday night and a quick check of the chilling temperature as I write this about 9:30 am, local time, shows it to be an unseaonable 44 degrees.
The dog, pony and perhaps a donkey show stops here Thursday afternoon after similar whistle stops held in Manila, New York and Beverly Hills.
With this done, Pacman can fly back to home and get in gear for his customary training stint in Baguio while Juan Ma, age 37 but still feisty especially when it comes to “who really won” their first two bouts, is at home.
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He and career-long trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain both live hereabouts. Beristain, the Mexican equivalent of Pacman tutor Coach Freddie Roach or of Angelo Dundee, started training Juan Ma and his former world champion brother Rafael when they were 13 and 14 years old.
Which brings me around to an amazing declaration about Floyd Mayweather Jr., who tests Vicious Victor Ortiz a week from Saturday night in Las Vegas.
The speaker was Beristain and we chatted Tuesday morning mano a mano in New York. In discussing how he feels Ortiz has zero chance of beating undefeated “Money,” Beristain compared him to basketball’s icon of icons, Michael Jordan.
“I have seen so much (in boxing)” the 72 year old Beristain said. “I’ve trained so many world champions. In the Olympics, I’ve had two gold medal winners and two who won bronze medals. Many people do not know this but once I was asked to train the great Mike Tyson.
“It could not work out because of my (lack of) English,” Beristain said. “My point is that, looking at this Mayweather, I would say that he is the fastest fighter in the whole, entire history of boxing.
“He is so (good) defensively in a fight, that he is like no person I have ever seen before. I would have to compare his status in boxing to that of Michael Jordan in basketball when it comes to speed, to athletic ability and to agility.”
Not that Nacho disparages Pacman.
“This is not the same fighter from the two (past) fights,” Beristain said. “He is now quite different with his speed. He is a better, improved fighter. But, this time, Juan Marquez is more focused.”
Speaking of which, Beristain then went with the typical Pacman foe claim that his myriad activities are leaving the Pinoy Idol unfocused on a key fight.
“He is always coming late for these (press conferences). He is busy as a Congressman. He has other things. But Juan Marquez, he is only concentrated on boxing, on beating Pacquiao.”
No sooner had Beristain uttered these words than Pacquaio did something surprising which I guess is really not surprising.
I looked up and there was Pacquiao and agent Michael Koncz, turning up early for the Chelsea Piers presser.
Quel surprise.
I wonder if Beristain has ever seen the guy who wears uniform number 17 for the Gensan Warriors. Maybe that guy at least wears Air Jordans.
Continue reading on Examiner.com Nacho Beristain: Floyd Mayweather Jr. fastest ever, compares to Michael Jordan – National Boxing | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-national/nacho-beristain-floyd-mayweather-jr-fastest-ever-compares-to-michael-jordan#ixzz1XNQu78z3
