By Liam Brindle: I honestly believe that too many people (including myself) have seriously underestimated Manny ‘Pac-Man’ Pacquiao. Every fight he has had in the past 12 months there seems to have been hundreds of people doubting the little Filipino. Whether it is on sites like this one, Forums, Boxing pundits, Fellow fighters and even boxing trainers. If I go back to 10th December 2008 I was boarding a flight from Manchester destined for the bright lights of Las Vegas to watch a fight that had been dubbed ‘The Dream Match’.
I was sat in the departure lounge watching the ‘De La Hoya Pacquiao 24/7’ that I had recorded to my iphone (I know I am a nerd), I was thinking to myself ‘De La Hoya is just going to be far too big and far too strong for this tiny man’, my fiancé gave me a nudge and said ‘There’s Ricky Hatton’ as I looked over there he was, standing with a Gucci bag under his arm. So over I trotted like a like an excited puppy.
‘Alright Ricky?…Do you mind if I have my picture taken with you?’
As I was sat on the aeroplane I kept thinking ‘Do you mind if I have my picture taken with you?… is that all I could think of?’
Anyway I am starting to go off the subject here…as I went to baggage collection in Vegas, I saw Ricky standing waiting for his luggage, so I went over n hit him with a few questions:
‘Who do you think will win the fight?’ he replied ‘Oscar…he is too big, too strong and to experienced… I think he will box him and then knock him out.’
I was thinking I was right with my assessment of the fight.
When we went to the weigh in me and my fiancé was sat in Starbucks in the MGM Grand an hour before it started and my fiancé said ‘There’s that guy that you like’ I turned around to see Mr. Freddie Roach walking past, so again the excited puppy ran over. ‘Hey Freddie do you mind if I have my picture taken with you’…not again…so I began to fire away with the questions.
LB ‘Who is going to win?’
FR ‘Manny is going to stop him in the mid to late rounds…he is ferocious’
LB ‘How sure are you?’
FR ‘When did you arrive in Vegas?’
LB ‘Last night.
FR ‘Well trust me…go and put all your spending money on Manny to stop Oscar.’
Freddie Roach was an absolute gent and was happy to stand and chat… I had him for a good 5 minutes, he was telling me how Amir Khan was going to be a world champ within 12 months… asking where I was staying etc.
As it turned out It Freddie was absolutely spot on.
When The Hatton v Pacquiao fight was announced again so many people (including myself again) had the opinion: Hatton is too big, too strong, he will apply the pressure and all he needs to do is land one big left to the body and it will close the show.
The day of the weigh in, I was watching Sky Sports news and I saw an interview with Freddie Roach:
‘I think we will knock him out…round 3…it will be short and sweet’.
I was like…’What is Freddie Smoking?’
The next night Ricky Hatton was laying unconscious in the centre of the ring in round 2!!!
Again when the Cotto v Pacquiao fight was made… forums where awash with boxing fans saying yet again : Cotto is too big, too strong, will apply pressure, work the body and Manny is out of his depth and yet again I was doubting the Pac-Man and was in the Cotto corner.
Me and a friend of mine was sat on my couch witching the build up and yet again on came Mr. Roach ‘We will either knock him out in round 1 or we will stop him late’ my friend looked at me and said ‘You can’t f**k with Freddie’s prediction again mate.’
Later that night Cotto’s face looked like it had been hit with a wrecking ball and Kenny Bayless was waving off the contest in favor of Manny Pacquiao.
The tiny Filipino now holds belts in seven different weight classes and has pounded everyone who has been put in his path and seems to still be being doubted as to how good he actually is.
In my opinion it is about time we all stopped doubting Manny and stop jumping on band wagons and start to appreciate just how special this little guy actually is. The way he is willing to take on anyone and approach the fight in a vicious and ferocious manor…if there is any fighter in the world that gives the paying boxing public value for money it is certainly the Pac-Man.
As for the mega fight to end all mega fights Mayweather v Pacquiao (my mouth is watering just typing that for the first time) I was backing Mayweather… just simply because I really like him and I thought he might be too slick for Pac-Man… But I went to watch Bolton v Blackburn on Sunday and there was a certain Mr. Freddie Roach there with his fighter Amir Khan… as Amir was busy signing autographs I got to have a little word and a picture with Freddie again.
LB ‘If the fight happens can Manny win’
FR ‘ If it does happen Manny WILL win…we have the perfect game plan’.
Back to the drawing board Mr. Brindle.
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