By Nick Ryan: Most would think by this title that I am referring to Pacquiao as David and Margarito as Goliath, but it is, in fact, the exact opposite. In this fight, we have the champion Manny Pacquiao, who has been tearing through weight divisions and leaving only a bloody trail of past boxers broken dreams. While on the other end of the spectrum, we have Antonio Margarito, the underdog, the written off, accused cheater, who was given a punchers chance at redemption. Calling this fight controversial would be an understatement, casual fans and gurus alike cursing it to the gills. Yet, it has managed to stir up press coverage and flaring opinions from every corner.
While anyone and everyone can find something wrong with this fight, whether it be the catch weight, steroids, illegal hand wraps, cherry picking, or Bob Arum, there is still a true battle to be had here. The first person to complain about politics taking over boxing is always the first person to continue complaining, and forget the basics. Those basics being, we have two men who both have the chance to prove to the world that no one can stop them.
Manny Pacquiao is the pride of the Philippines, the Congressman, and the People’s Fighter. He is Goliath in this equation. Having done away with every challenge presented to him. He is attempting to do what no man has done before, and that is to capture his 8th World Title. He has gone against some of the toughest fighters : Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, and Juan Manuel Marquez, and emerged victorious. Clearly there are people who will say these fighters were cherry picked and hung in front of Manny like a carrot. However, everyone is easy to forget, that these are still boxers he is going against. Hard nose, well trained, pure fighters, who’s only goal is to have the other guy snoozing on the canvas in the quickest and most painful way possible. Each and every adversary that Pacquiao has eliminated was there to do the same thing he was, but were unable to complete the task. Now he has given another fighter a chance at greatness. A man caught up in a scandal that has as much anonymity as the Kennedy assassination has floating around it. A man, much like David who is already counted out as a loser in the fight. Antonio Margarito.
When people hear the name Margarito, they immediately grab the torch and pitchfork and condemn him as a cheater. Many are quick to judge without doing their homework. Meanwhile they choose to ignore the fact that this diamond chinned brawler, was one of the most feared fighters not more than 3 years ago. Antonio Margarito spent a year in exile, while he was punished for, what I personally believe, was a trainer attempting to give him an upper hand against a fearsome Shane Mosley. (If anyone saw Shane’s eyes that night, a Spanish bull could not stop him.) Those who have seen his previous fights have seen Miguel Cotto land punch after punch on Margarito’s face, only to be met with a smile and three punches in return. It took rounds 6 though 9 of Mosley relentlessly beating on a weight drained, mentally unprepared Margarito for him to finally take a knee and bow out.
This Saturday, we do not have steroids versus plaster. We do not have cherry picker versus cheater. We have a man at the top of the totem (Goliath) who is looking to hold up that 8th belt and go down in history for completing a task we would be lucky to see accomplished again in our lifetime. In the other corner we have the tough as nails, granite chinned, wrecking ball who is hoping to take the W, the belt, and the redemption he has been working so hard for (David).
For everyone who says they will not pay for this fight, I say you are making a big mistake. For anyone who says that politics is governing this bout, I say you need to forget the details, disregard everyone else’s opinions about the fighters, take a few minutes to see each of them train and remember this is one of the greatest sports this country and this world has ever seen. Do not go in hoping for a blowout, go in hoping for a good fight between two elite fighters that are ready for war.
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