Pacquiao inspired by Bruce Lee
May 19th, 2011
By John F. McKenna (McJack): Manny Pacquiao (53- 3-2, 38 KO’s ) is perhaps the greatest fighter of his generation. The only other fighter who could legitimately compete with Manny for that mythical title is undefeated defensive genius Floyd Mayweather (41-0, 25 KO’s). Manny’s style is unorthodox and to some extent awkward. Other fighters who have attempted to emulate Manny’s style have come up short.
Pacquiao credits watching a video of his idol Bruce Lee for his inspiration. Recently when he was preparing for his May 7 fight with Shane Mosley, Pacquiao was asked by reporters how he came to be the fighter he is today. He responded with just three words “Like Bruce Lee”. When Pacquiao was growing up in the Phillipines he watched Bruce Lee’s movies endlessly and has incorporated many of Lee’s moves into his style of boxing. “Enter the Dragon” is Manny’s favorite movie and he still watches Bruce Lee’s movies to see if there is anything he has missed.
Conditioning coach Alex Ariza says that “Pacman” used Bruce Lee as a model for the moves he now uses. The early Pacquiao had speed of hand and foot and even then he had uncommon power for a fighter his size. Pacquiao adviser Mike Konz noted that Manny has huge calf muscles and said that thick legs are a family trait, also saying that he has great strength in his torso. Sparring partner Shawn Porter said that with Manny his combinations are not thrown 1-2-3, but more like 1-2-3-4-5-6 and are all thrown with power.
When Erik Morales defeated Pacquiao in 2005 trainer Freddie Roach decided that his fighter needed some balance and went about teaching Manny how to incorporate his right hand into his attack. Roach got Manny to practice throwing jabs, uppercuts and hooks all thrown with his right hand in four punch combinations. It took time, but a new fighter emerged against David Diaz. Later Pacquiao would knock out Ricky Hatton with a right hand. Roach now divides Pacquiao’s career into two parts: Pre David Diaz and after David Diaz. Manny’s style was now taking shape.
Roach says that although he has trained many champions none of them have had the total commitment to their craft that Manny does. A lot of the work that Pacquiao does with his footwork and creating angles to confuse opponents has been an invention that Manny himself has incorporated into his technique. Roach and Pacquiao design every fight specifically for the opponent “Pacman” will be facing.
Roach said that one of his fears when Manny continued to move up in weight was that he would lose his speed and explosiveness. That has not happened which has caused some of his detractors to accuse him of steroid abuse. Both Roach and conditioning coach Ariza categorically deny those allegations, noting that he has never failed a test and attributing his success to altering his diet, advanced isometric training and plyometric training for explosiveness. Part of Manny’s success is his God given natural ability coupled with his optimism. He has great reflexes and his at rest pulse rate is 42 beats per minute.
When Antonio Margarito was preparing to fight Pacquiao, his trainer Robert Garcia thought that he noticed weaknesses in Pacquiao’s style that could be exploited. After the fight Garcia said “Whatever plan you have against Pacquiao, he just terminates it. What seems possible on video is not. Nobody fights like him. He is awkward, quick, strong, has great reflexes. There is nobody that complete.”
It seems to be that more and more of the boxing world is accepting Manny Pacquiao as a great fighter. Whenever Manny’s name comes up, Floyd Mayweather’s name also comes up almost by default. This is the fight boxing fans all over the world want to see and have wanted to see for the past couple of years. It would seem that the legacy of both fighters would be damaged if this fight never comes to pass.
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@Anonymous…what an idiot you really are Now, you are so envious also even with Manny’s wife’s beauty and her makeover. Would you like us to tell Pacman’s wife to give you a makeover also? I am sure she can schedule one from the Beauty Clinic she go to. Would you like some mental or brain makeover as well? Let us know. We, Pacfans can contribute for your beauty and mental or brain makeover. Hahahaha!!!!!
that nonsense , i think pacquiao need some serious education with that money he got he should go back to high school and get his GED first . i have no respect for this man he is just a show off ,Go to manila and see how poor people are some are living on graveyard he should help them with some cheap housing so they can get off the graveyard .He is a stupid politicial who doesnt care about where he came from .he spend all his money to his wife plastic surgery face make over .Last Manny wife send $ 500,000 for beauty makeover .
Bruce lee incorporated some of the Filipino martial arts suhc as eskima and arnis de mano into his style, Jet Kune Do. the head of his style now is Dan Inosanto, a filipino-american.
All the Pac haters (Mayweaher fans) can make all the absurd allegations they want to. Meanwhile Manny cries all the way to the bank. That really bothers Floyd. He can’t handle that Manny is so much more popular than he is.
Lady Floyd Gagaweather, his family and Floydiots believe that boxing revolves around him. They believe that he can dictate whatever he wants and he would get it. What a choice of word in dictate…if you break it down it is either taking or eating something which is what they are doing if they really believe that gargage.
I know for a fact that he is his own man and decides what he wants. He retired twice before but came back to take easy $ fights in a flash. He came back one more time for another easy $ fight. According to him, his family and his Floydiots, Manny is one dimensional, has no talent and is easy to beat.
Manny also represents his biggest payday ever. Yet he keeps making excuses not to fight. I think he too feels that Manny is in fact a boxing version of Bruce Lee and hits hard, fast and at different awkward angles.
Maybe that is why the man who boasts so much has to find an easy way to avoid making this fight and cast doubts on what Manny has achieved. He is so obsessed with Manny….it hurts. Do not be fooled, he watched that fight many times looking for weaknesses and found none. Poor fellow!
@ Bruce Lee Hates:
Duh! Newsflash to earth people. Bruce Lee is not here anymore.
Stop hathing on Pacquiao. Enough of the name calling!
Floyu is afraid to fight Manny. Get over it all you Pac Haters!
JOJO YOU DON KNOW BOXING…OK! GET A JOB!
Bruce Lee wants nothing to do with this Pinoy hypejob.
Bruce Lee would show this guy the back of his hand and the bottom of his foot.
Where are my nunchucks??!
ANOTHER EXCUSE FROM THE FLOYDIOTS!!!! IF ARUM DIE THEN THEY WILL FIGHT!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA GET OVER IT ALREADY PACQUIAO IS THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME, BETTER THAN ROBINSON!!!! ITS NOT A BLACK THANG BUT THE REAL THANG!!!!!!!!
I WOULDNT BE SUPRIZED IF THE PERSON WO MADE THE ALLEGATION ON TWEETER IS MAYWEATHER AND FAMILY!!!!! WHY DO YOU THINK THEY TOOK IT DOWN SO FAST BEFORE THE FBI GOT TO IT!!!!!
I pity you sean and pezgato for believing that only PED will make you great and become successful.
You forgot the word dedication and discipline mate! And everyone can see that on Manny Pacquiao that’s why he was loved by his fan and even set him as a role-model.
@pezgato… I pitty on you f00l….the sooner you accept the truth the better so that you can move on with your life.
Listen EVERYONE, It’s not that Manny gained the weight and stayed “ripped”, it’s the fact that he brought his power with him as he moved up in weight! That is NOT normal. Shane said he’s never been hit that hard in his career and Margarito’s face is still jacked up. Let’s be real, I’m not saying Manny knows he’s dirty (I blame his strength coach) but I AM saying that Manny IS Dirty. Until he agrees to Olympic style testing these “un natural” feats will be just that in my book…”UN NATURAL” have a great week. Blessings to all
Prior to Bruce Lee, Alexander the great used angle tactics during his great conquest. Alexander, Bruce and Pacquiao are all perfectionist, students of great discipline and have undeniable team dynamics with their mentor,teacher or trainer. Unfortunately, Alexander and Bruce were victims of their own success.
Floyd will never fight Pac therefore we will have to wait til year 2035 when Pacquiao’s son will whoop on Floyd Jr’s lil boy.
But this time, it will be Pac Jr. demanding that Floyd Jr. the 2nd take the test. What test you ask?
The high school aptitude and academic proficiency test because Floyd Jr. The 2nd doesn’t know how to read and comprehend a contract and doesn’t know how to sign on the dotted line. LOL
the truth about mayweater is that if he likes to fight manny there are many WAYS, but if he’s afraid of pacquiao, there are many REASONS not to fight with him..
…we’re going to have a megafight on 2040!
The only way that Floyd can defeat Manny’s martial arts-boxing style is to hire someone who expert in doing so. hmmm.
Jet Lee or Jackie Chan will surely kick his arse for making fun on asian people.
Steven Seagal is an avid fan of Pacquiao too!
Probably his on his way to prisong with his recent legal woes…..PERFECT!!!! Wesley Sniptes is there!! LOL!
the hair and that he is asian is the only similarity. the differences are, bruce lee was his own man, bruce lee was natural
German Moreno
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Teddy Atlost at his best!
Teddy Atlost: Pacquiao’s opponent are no one and just merely selected by his promoter.
Brian Kenny : Whom did he missed?
Teddy Atlost: I agree but he should have fought Bradley.
Made my day
sean kuyog
“Sinangag and “datu puti” LOL
Garlic Fried Rice with Soy Sauce.
That’s what makes Pac strong.
You know, Manny Pacquiao is taking a concoction of two substance. One substance is 100cc of very dark liquid called “DATU PUTI” mixed with starchy substance called “SINAING”. this concoction is called “SINANGAG”.
Check this out!
Hey Sean…
Simple. PROVE TO EVERYONE HERE with CONCRETE, TANGIBLE, QUANTIFIED, SUBSTANTIAL, and LEGITIMATE EVIDENCE (know what that means?) that Pacquiao is GUILTY OF USING PEDs.
If you fail to do this…they court is adjourned and you are guilty of online defamation of Pac’s character and are thereby subject to pay a sum of 5 million apologies.
How can anyone say anything bad about Pacquiao when there are the Mayweathers around? They are creepy people!
Hope Floyd comes back so Manny can kick his bootie!
Like this article. Pacman is the best by far. One of the greatest ever
@Sean cannot answer the fact question about Floyd Sr and Jr!!!
@Sean is addicted on hearsay!!!
@Sean,,,how about the fact Floyd Sr. a drug addict and a pusher,,,does it means Floyd jr is an addict too???
@meka; how about the fact Freddie Roach had 3 fighters test positive? How about the fact Trevor Graham has ties to Balco and is barred from working with any Olympic athelete?
@meka; so you are upset with Floyd changing his fair request after Manny refused initially? Wow! The fact Manny has 12 divisions under his belt is more then enough reason or facts to have him RBT’d
FROM FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.
“Everything boils down to this ‘we wanna see’ this black, arrogant American lose. He shouldn’t be able to live next door to me. He shouldn’t be able to drive the cars I drive.”
WHY FLOYD JR said it?
@meka; that wasn’t toe to toe! So the new thing for Manny fans to use is ” going toe to toe”? I say fight your fight and I’ll fight mine and we’ll see who’s better skilled. What now…every fighter that doesn’t allow Manny to hit them gets criticized for not going toe to toe? If Manny is that good he’d force his style on his opponent.
@Sean,,, i always told you and will tell you again and again, only fools like you will believe on peds alligation!!!!
Sean
Because if you CAN’T PROVE it then STFU. Just like Floyd, If you won’t step up, shut up!
Sean
Can you PROVE your “bi-product” thing?
@firefox; laiceps dnelb… This is Manny’s secret to success
@meka; Manny had genuine success[natural] at 130 and below. His current success is a bi-product of Alex and Trevor.
@Sean,,,this is the funniest article you ever read! and your the funniest and ignorant blogger i ever known!!!nyak!ngak!nyak!nyak!!!!
dave will not read this article i’m sure
@hears; you only get one chance at the champ(me) so make it good!
Asians like Bruce Lee so no surprises that Manny like him.
So speaking of Juan, the only consolation for him is to get his 5 Millions or more. Manny is not going to be merciful with this guy like what he did to Shane.
Manny is going to give him a good beating that people would forget their two previous fights and to stop his whining.
Juan is going to retire for good after Nov. 12.
By the way, Floyd is still looking for his next opponent so he could pay so many lawyers, IRS, etc.
Floyd is considering the following in order:
Arce
Darchinian
Montiel
Sean says:
May 19, 2011 at 7:38 pm
..this has to be the funniest article I have read in a longtime.First it’s eating correctly,then it’s God,after that it’s hard work.Then it’s Bruce Lee,anything but those special shakes he drinks.
Really?So this is your first time to read?
Sean want go to school again?
Sean
Sean is one of the i-diots who believe that success can only be achieve by PED! Kudos to you sean! Did you achieve something in your life? LMFAO
@Sean…
Why don’t you and I go toe-to-toe right now.
U game?
@Sean,,,only fool like you believe on shakes!!!
I noticed pacquiao watched/learned bruce lee’s style before
he learned boxing. ..I saw his turnkick when I watched his latest fight 360 on tv. and his punches are as fast as a rubberband when you pull and let it go. That’s bruce lee’s
style or secret . I watched all bruce lee’s movie when I was teenager. I learned how to demolished banana trees when I was in the philippines
Another boxer with karate ingredients in his boxing style is nonito donaire. It was proven at a later date when I heard about his wife was a US taekwando olympian
..this has to be the funniest article I have read in a longtime.First it’s eating correctly,then it’s God,after that it’s hard work.Then it’s Bruce Lee,anything but those special shakes he drinks.
what is this guy talking about,he just forgot to said that manny only fight old and weak guys and past their prime
KUDOS to the writer!!!
and still win 8 title. beat that
Paquiao boxing style is not in the book of boxing!!!
bruce lee learn boxing from a filipino
I like this article, you are telling the truth my friend.Thanks!
Not surprised that Manny is a follower of Lee.
not to mention that manny is from Mindanao
search “Ilaga in Mindanao” some says they have amulets and that the bullets just bounces on their body.
Roger Mayweather mention this on one of his interview and he believes that pacquiao is into something(amulet)
floyd’s head is bigger if he grows some hair
One of Bruce Lee’s closest friends was a Filipino! Dan Inosanto, better known for his Eskrima & Arnis De Mano style of Filipino Martial Arts. Dan Inosanto, today is still an authority on Jeet Kune Do, a Kung Fu style created by the legendary Bruce Lee.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is inspired by the fictional character Bruce Leroy, from the movie “The Last Dragon.” Actually, Floyd’s character would be Sho’nuff, the Shogun of Harlem!LOL!!!
Bruce Lee was into vitamins and being healthy not juicing..
@ knucklhead, I bet you Pacquiao would kill brucee lee in boxing.
Bruce Lee would stick it in pac-puppets ol lady…..