If Manny Pacquiao ends up face-planted Saturday the way he ended up last time he fought, his career will end then and there.
Trainer Freddie Roach, to whom Pacquiao usually but not always listens, says he expects his fighter to win, but he adds that Pacquiao has promised to pack it in when Roach advises him it?s the wisest course.
?I think Manny will outbox this guy and end the fight early ? he has more speed and power — but that all depends on how the fight goes,? Roach said during a recent telephone press conference. ?If I see he is slowing down and slipping in the fight, I will be the first one to tell him. We have an agreement that I will tell him that and he will retire.?
If Roach sees a knockout like the one Pacquiao suffered against Juan Manuel Marquez a year ago — seemingly out of nowhere — that damn sure better be the last straw.
On the other hand, Manny looked awfully good in his two consecutive 2012 defeats. He not only was outpointing Marquez at the time of the knockout but also seemed to be on the verge of finishing him off. And now that Timothy Bradley has beaten Marquez, Pacquiao?s impressive performance against Tim (now No. 3 in The Ring pound for pound) in a fight Pacquiao deserved to win seems all the more positive.
Pacman stands to whale the tar out of Brandon Rios on Saturday (Sunday in Asia) in Macau, China, one of HBO Pay Per View and Top Rank?s most interesting ventures ever.
Rios is making the most of what certainly will be a short career with his relentless face-first style. His return-match loss to Mike Alvarado reduced him to human level. But Rios presumably carries his considerable power to 147 pounds. He will force Pacquiao to fight carefully and be happy to tag Rios several times, not get tagged back much, and win a decision. If a knockout comes, it comes, because Rios will keep coming on and must be punished.
But how can the knockout loss to Marquez not be worrisome? It was compounded by the roundhouse right in the third round that decked Pacquiao in Marquez?s only other good round in the fight.
The knockout punch was much quicker, but how could he not have seen that knockdown punch earlier? It was the kind of punch Rios throws, and if Manny doesn?t see one of those it could be devastating.
I can only say I?ve been bumping my head a lot more frequently lately. I?m not seeing the punches coming the way I used to. Manny turns 35 next month, and I had hoped all along he would be retired at 33. He needs a clearer exit strategy.
Roach?s clear-headedness came under scrutiny this week in Macau when the Rios team overstayed its time allotment at the gym the teams are sharing, and Roach overreacted, which led to special nastiness with former Roach camp fitness advisor Alex Ariza. Besides, Roach?s own boxing career certainly went on too long.
Pacquiao should beat Rios, but there?s nothing unbeatable about him anymore.
