By Dave Lahr: Antonio Margarito is predicting a knockout over Manny Pacquiao next month, and he figures the combination of his superior size, power, work rate and heart will be too much for Pacquiao to handle when they meet up at the Cowboy Stadium, in Arlington, Texas. I agree with Margarito. Pacquiao has been facing guys that throw a few punches and fold up shop and head for the hills to just survive. Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey showed nothing in their fights with Pacquiao. And Oscar De La Hoya has nothing to show even if he wanted to because he was so old and starved from his deer meat diet to melt down to 147 for the fight.
Ricky Hatton made the mistake of fighting primitive and got knocked out in the 2nd round. His punch resistance was nowhere for that fight. Margarito will take Pacquiao’s shots and keep pouring in his own punches to overwhelm him with shots until Pacquiao’s left a bloody mess on the canvas. Margarito told the Manila Bulletin, “He [Pacquiao] has never faced a fighter that gives his heart in the ring like I do and a guy who throws a lot of punches and comes forward.” Pacquiao has fought guys that come forward, but unfortunately one of those guys was Hatton and he was far too crude to beat Pacquiao with his leaping left hooks. Margarito has more refined skills and isn’t dumb enough to think he can beat Pacquiao by throwing leaping shots.
Margarito is going to be huge pressure on Pacquiao and make him cover up or trade. I wouldn’t recommend that Pacquiao try to trade shots with Margarito if he’s getting tagged with a 100 punches per round. Pacquiao is too small to take Margarito’s heavy shots without getting hurt and knocked out. He’s going to be getting lit up by Margarito and unable to match Margarito’s work rate.
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