By Chris Williams: I got a kick out of listening to promoter Bob Arum and trainer Freddie Roach give excuses for Manny Pacquiao’s catch-weight fight for the vacant WBC junior middleweight title against Antonio Margarito on November 13th. This will be the second title that Pacquiao has fought for since last year when Pacquiao fought the WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto at a catch-weight. Pacquiao is into collecting titles and unfortunately as he’s moved up in weight, he’s opted to use catch-weights to try and win more and more titles.
Manny Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao boxing news
The Blueprint for beating Pacquiao
By Dave Lahr: It’s really not that hard to beat Manny Pacquiao, as Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez showed in their fights with Pacquiao. Right now, many boxing fans mistakenly see Pacquiao as an unbeatable fighter, but he’s clearly very vulnerable as Morales and Marquez. Freddie Roach has fixed some basic flaws with Pacquiao’s game most notably with his previous inability to use his right hand. But the rest of the flaws in Pacquiao’s game still remain. Pacquiao can still be backed up with a series of combinations and he still shuts down when he’s under attack.
Roach says Pacquiao will overwhelm Margarito with punches and speed
By Chris Williams: Freddie Roach says that his fighter Manny Pacquiao is going to try and beat Antonio Margarito by volume punching on November 13th, saying in their recent press conference “I think we [meaning Pacquiao, not Roach] will overwhelm him with punches. He will land on him with fast hands and combinations. In eight or nine rounds I think we will break him down. Margarito throws a lot of punches and he makes too many mistakes to beat us. He has bad habits and we are going to take advantage of all of them.” If Roach has Pacquiao trying to beat Margarito at his own game, Roach and Pacquiao could go home losers.
I Love You, Boxing
by Niko Tricarico: I love you boxing. In spite of all your flaws and your promotional ineptitude’s, your ignominious undercards and your luxuriant and hollow belts, I still stand by you with blinding obedience. I love you for your bloody knuckles and your swollen lips, for your broken noses, black eyes and bruised ribs. I love you for the fluidity of the speed bag and the repetitious thwacks of the jump rope. I love you for the sounds of a flattened glove smacking against a canvas heavy bag that sways from a jangling chain attached to the ceiling. I love you for the insightful, historical examinations of A.J. Liebling and the gut wrenching emotion of F.X. Toole.
Roach says “There’s no way [Margarito] has trained harder than us” [Pacquiao]
![Image: Roach says "There's no way [Margarito] has trained harder than us" [Pacquiao]](https://www.boxingnews24.com/wp-content/uploads/margo343343.jpg "margo343343")
By Chris Williams: Freddie Roach is speaking out of both sides of his yap lately. On one hand, he’s saying that this is the worst training camp ever for his fighter Manny Pacquiao, and few people would disagree with that. Pacquiao has skipped training sessions, worn himself out with basketball games, visits to politicians, long weekly drives runs outside of training. And yet, Roach says “There’s no way [Margarito] has trained harder than us [Pacquiao], and it will show on the 13th.” I don’t know of anyone that thinks Pacquiao is out-working Antonio Margarito in training. Margarito has worked like a mad man sparring, running and chopping wood. Why is Roach talking about “Us”? The last time I checked, it’s Pacquiao who’s doing all the training and the one that looks disinterested. I love the way that Roach always includes himself in the picture when talking about Pacquiao.
Who do you pick? Congressman Manny Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarito
By Gerardo Granados: Margarito will be fighting to reestablish himself as an elite fighter; if he wins he would be able to continue his career waiting for bigger fights and bigger purses. He must win, if he looses then it´s over, so he won’t be quitting as De la Hoya did. This is a really motivated fighter, but is this a really skilled fighter? His fight against Manny will be his 15th title fight, it´s been a long road for Margarito but it could end soon.
Roach still hopeful that Pacquiao will fight Mayweather
By Chris Williams: Freddie Roach still isn’t giving up on the idea of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. fighting in 2011. Pacquiao has his hands full right now with a bout against Antonio Margarito on November 13th, but Roach doesn’t seem all that worried about Pacquiao winning the Margarito fight. In an article at ESPN Radio, Roach says this about a potential Mayweather-Pacquiao fight in the future:
Arum thinks Pacquiao-Margarito ticket sales will exceed 60,000
By Dan Ambrose: Bob Arum, the promoter for both Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito, thinks their November 13th fight will exceed 60,000 tickets sold for the fight at the Cowboys Stadium, in Arlington, Texas. If this turns out to be the case, it could end up being the largest indoor crowd ever for a boxing match, according to ESPN. Arum had this to say in a conference call earlier today, “This one, I think will go over 60,000. The response to the ticket sales has been great. We’re tracking well ahead of where we were of the [Joshua] Clottey fight, so I’m optimistic.” The Pacquiao-Clottey fight sold 50,994 tickets at the Cowboy Stadium, but a disappointing 750,000 on PPV.
Roach says to Pacquiao: “Your politics is over if you don’t win this fight” against Margarito
By Eric Thomas: Trainer Freddie Roach hinted that Manny Pacquiao’s political career could be hurt if he loses to Antonio Margarito in their high priced mega fight on November 13th at the Cowboys Stadium, in Arlington, Texas. Roach, who trains Pacquiao, said this to Gmanews.com “I told him your politics is over if you don’t win this fight. I had a long talk with him. I told him, `Manny, you made a decision to run for Congress. You win this fight, you made the right decision. You lose this fight, it was the wrong decision.” It’s pretty clear that Pacquiao’s fame has come from boxing, but it’s doubtful that his loyal boxing fans and fellow countrymen would abandon him if he were to get destroyed by Margarito.
Arum not interested in a rematch between Pacquiao and Margarito regarless of who wins
By Chris Williams: Top Rank promoter Bob Arum isn’t interested in putting together Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito again in a rematch, even if Margarito comes out on top. Speaking with Gma news, Arum says “No rematch clause. I don’t believe in rematch. Pacquiao prevailing by a mile over the heavy underdog Margarito would no longer be attractive to boxing fans. If the fight turns out to be one-sided [in favor of Manny[, a rematch wouldn’t be saleable.” By the same token, Arum says he wouldn’t want to put Pacquiao through another bout with Margarito if Manny turns out the one that gets dominated in this fight.