GRAPEVINE, Texas ( MindaNews/10 November) – World boxing champion and Sarangani congressman Manny Pacquiao has decided to rely on his speed when he tangles with Mexican Antonio Margarito for the vacant WBO light middleweight title at the Dallas Cowboys stadium on Saturday.
It will be the best weapon in countering Margarito’s obvious height, reach and weight advantage, Pacquiao told reporters shortly after his workout inside the Gaylord Texan hotel yesterday afternoon. “I will focus on speed.”
He is also not a bit worried about Margarito showing up on fight night weighing 150 lbs or a little bit over. “It doesn’t matter to me,” He said.
The Filipino boxer admitted he tried to put on more weight four weeks into his training only to end up feeling sluggish. ” I felt too slow, I can’t move and my body is too heavy.”
Now, with a weight between 147 lbs to 148 lbs, he’s back in his old form, agile, quick and able to unleash the power of his stinging punches.
An interesting portion of his workout was the meticulous going through of several boxing routines, particularly on counter-punching.
Most of the routines consist of combinations that are meant to deal a deadly blow to an opponent, strongly hinting of a possible intention not to let the fight go the distance.
Several of them are short jabs and uppercuts, aiming to disallow Margarito to exploit to the hilt his reach and height advantage.
Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez, when asked to explain about it, was quick to dismiss it as just part of the regimen of yesterday’s workout. He, however, told MindaNews Pacquiao is in top shape and form.
The Sarangani congressman also assured boxing fans he will put out a good fight, and explained to the Mexicans that what he’s going to do Margarito is only part of his job as a boxer, and there’s nothing personal to it. (Merpu Roa/MindaNews)