Three days til fight night. Three days until boxing's undisputed face, the keeper of the fistic flame, Saint Manny Pacquiao, will glove up, and gun for a title in an unprecedented eighth different weight class. For that reason, the air of excitement is crackling that much more.
We can debate whether that 8th crown would be asterisk free, with Team Pacquiao having secured a concession from foe Antonio Margarito, when he agreed to weigh 150 pounds, or less, at Friday's weigh in. But no one, save for a tiny pocket of Floyd Mayweather team-members, and Floyd himself, could argue that anyone other than Manny is the man who represents boxing today.
If this wasn't confirmed before last Sunday, the Bob Simon piece on "60 Minutes," which was intended to introduce the Filipino fighter/politician to people who don't follow the fight game, or perhaps have not since Ali, or Mike Tyson reigned, did so.
All of us hoped that this clash Saturday would pit Pacquiao against Mayweather, and we all hope that, for the good of the sport's profile, that will still happen next year. But that doesn't mean there won't be that touch of butterflies in the belly of fight fans come Saturday morning.
I see the Pacquiao-Margarito fight as a less lopsided version of the Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey "fight" in March, because Pacman's hand speed, and footwork, will outstrip any weight "advantage" the Mexican might have come fight night, after he re-hydrates to middleweight. But only a Pacmaniac drunk on the aura of Manny would argue that Margarito couldn't plausibly land that wrecking ball which sends the Filipino to the loss column for the first time since 2005 (a March UD12 loss to Erik Morales).
"Boxing is taking its proper place on the world's stage," Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, said on Wednesday afternoon, at the final press conference before the Saturday tussle at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas. I cannot deny my lack of objectivity, and my gratitude that Pacquiao has elevated himself to be the face of the sport, which too often is saddled with a seedy, or sociopathic, or inauthentic leader. His perseverance, and constant amiability, and entrance into public service, make him a solid role model, in a world sadly in need of them. "The Congressman from the province of Sarangani, the fighter with the title of the best in the world, with the realization that he might be the greatest fighter of all time," said Arum, in his introduction of Pacquiao.
He thanked, with the skill of a vet pol, all the principals who helped put the bout together. He said he expects a good fight, because of Margarito's aggressive style. "There's no problem about my training camp," he said, for the 7,096th time. Early on in camp, he wasn't moving well, he said, because he was a few pounds too heavy, so he dropped down to 147, and maintained that weight channel. He then plugged his book, which comes out on November 19. "I hope you will buy it, there's my story, thank you," he said.
Arum said the California commission didn't "give him a fair shake. As far as the record is concerned, this man has done nothing wrong. Please welcome my friend, Antonio Margrito."
The fighter told the media and those watching the live stream that "there are no excuses. I'm ready for this fight, and I want to tell Jose Sulaiman he's got a new Mexican champion on the thirtheenth. This is our best camp, I want to thank God and I want to show everyone I'm back, and what I can do, on Saturday night."
"A man treated with the reverence which once went to his mentor, Eddie Futch," as Arum put it, also spoke. Freddie Roach said Pacman came to camp in a bit worse shape than usual, because he was concentrating on politics. "We know it's a tough fight, we're ready, don't miss it," he said.
Margarito's trainer, Robert Garcia, said a YouTube video showing two of his fighters making fun of Freddie Roach does not indicate any insensitivity regarding Roach's struggle with Parkinson's. One of the fighters, Brandon Rios, Garcia said, did not know that Roach suffers from the disorder.*
Alex Ariza spoke briefly, and said he assures all that Manny is in "100% condition."
SPEEDBAG Arum lauded the Texas commission for granting Margarito a license, and slammed the Cali commission for "smearing" the boxer.
---The promoter also welcomed "my friend," Jose Sulaiman, the WBC chie. He presented Arum with a statue-trophy for his success in keeping boxing afloat. "I believe this fight is going to be much better than what people say," Sulaiman said. "I believe in the heart of this guy," he said, pointing at Margarito. He then drew a laugh when he said he and his family are Cowboys fans. "We cry when they lose, and get drunk when they lose," he said.
--There will be a press conference for the undercard Thursday morning.
---The weigh in will be at 4:30 local time, on Friday.
*---Decide for yourself. It looks to me like Garcia is knee deep in the mockery, and it looks to me like Rios is mocking the facial expressions and tremors which stem from the Parkinson's. Does he get a pass because he says he didn't know the tremors result from the Parkinson's? www.badlefthook.com/2010/11/9/1804989/video-hype-antonio-margarito-and-brandon-rios-make-fun-of-parkinsons
Source: thesweetscience.com
No comments:
Post a Comment