Pacquiao leg cramps from over-training?

By John F. McKenna (McJack): World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KO’s) who faces WBO/WBA/Ring lightweight champion Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez (53-5-1, 39 KO’s) on November 12 has suffered from leg cramps in several of his previous fights. The venue for the Pacquiao – Marquez Trilogy will be the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

As everyone knows leg cramping was a problem in the Manny Pacquiao – Shane Mosley fight in May. The cramps limited Pacquiao’s vaunted attack and probably saved Mosley from being knocked out in the fight which was dominated by Pacquaio. Manny’s normally fluid side to side movement when he was on the attack against Mosley was stymied and it appeared that he was only able to move in on a straight line.

Many who watched the Pacquiao – Mosley fight were critical of his performance and cited his less than stellar performance as evidence that he was slowing down.

It is well known that Pacquiao is a highly motivated fighter and not one that trainer Freddie Roach and strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza have to light a fire under to get moving.

Being highly motivated as Manny is does have certain drawbacks and repercussions.
It is not as simple as just chasing your fighter out of the gym. The fact that Pacquiao started working out early in preparation for the Marquez fight means that Roach and Ariza are going to have a struggle on their hands to prevent “Pacman” from over-training again.

In the lead up to the May 7 fight against Mosley, Pacquiao’s training was supposed to come to a completed halt on May 4th, but Pacquioa trained on May 4 and again on May 5.
Old time boxing trainers have always warned fighters about “leaving the fight in the gym” with nothing left on fight night.

Two time heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson, was one of those fighters who was notorious for over-training and “leaving the fight in the gym.” A week before his June, 1959 fight with Ingemar Johansson boxing writers reported that Patterson looked to be “as sharp as a cannibal’s razor” and some were fearful that he had peaked too soon. Boxing history tells us that those fears were well justified. Patterson had nothing left when he climbed into the ring with Ingemar and was knocked out in the 3rd round.

One would normally think that training hard for a fight would be a good thing, and it is up to a point. But just like anything else over training can be addictive.

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