By Vivek Wallace: With slightly over a week before Filipino phenom Manny Pacquiao squares off against WBC Lightweight Champion David Diaz, those who eagerly anticipate the fight can’t help but to assess the two men involved. One is a great talent trying to find his way among the sports elite. The other is a great fighter who currently dwells in that elite level, equipped with a persona torn from an Elvis Presley type fabric.
To many, having excessive fans and admiring figures on the trail is never a bad thing, but let some around the sport tell it, that provbial ‘good-problem-to-have’ could soon culminate into the ultimate demise of one the sports biggest global interest. As we analyze things a bit closer, in my standard ‘Call Em Out Fridays’ fashion, we’ll take a look at the “Upside Fan Perspective” of Manny Pacquiao, the “Downside Skeptic Perspective”, and in the end, a “Final Analysis Perspective”.. When all is said and done and the last sentence is read, the intriguing aspect comes when you, the reader chime in.
Now that blueprint is laid, we review the analysis…..
MANNY PACQUIAO – (THE UPSIDE FAN PERSPECTIVE): When the name Manny Pacquiao comes to mind, many thoughts follow. Powerful, gutsy, heroic, and strong to name a few. Personally, thinking of Manny Pacquiao takes me back to a scenario approximately a year ago when I traveled to Los Angeles. I could remember a dialogue with a fight fan at the Santa Monica Pier whom I asked who he considered to be the most explosive fighter in the post Mike Tyson era?, and before finishing the question, his emphatic response in very broken english was PAK-YAW, PAK YAW! He then went on to give me a literal blow-by-blow of key moments in the second Erik Morales fight, and subsequently mirrored that coverage with the same blow-by-blow commentary on Pacquiao’s triumphant first victory over Barrera. Minutes into this conversation it dawned on me that Manny Pacquiao is by far more to his supporters than just a talented boxer. He’s an icon. Nothing short of a walking billboard for the Asian persuasion, and after accomplishing so much thus far in his storied 13 year career, he soon attempts to add another feather to the cap, trying to become the sports first Asian four-time Champion in four different weight divisions. The upside to Pacquiao certainly doesn’t stop there, as those who have seen him evolve into the product we see today know very well that the best has potentially yet to come. His sheer will and pure determination has propelled him to great heights, even being mentioned as a potential foe to the sports last standing cash cow, Oscar De La Hoya, among others. Exactly where those talents take him in the end, few truly know, but recent speculation about what appears to be a possible decline in dedication could soon yield the answer.
MANNY PACQUIAO – (THE DOWNSIDE SKEPTIC PERSPECTIVE): As much as I’d love to sit back and admire Pacquiao’s greatness, questions relative to frequent pre-camp distractions are the premise for a bad gut feeling queasy enough to make one ponder the use of a strong laxative. In the “Upside Fan Perspective”, I spoke of a fight fan who likened Pacquiao to Mike Tyson, and in very ominous train of thought, most of the same ill-advised distractions could ultimately unglue this better than average pugilist as well. For Tyson it seemed to be the women. With Pacquiao, it’s far more complex. There’s the acting, the singing, the politics, and many other things to include the raving women. Knowing that every Filipino has their hand out for a time slot with the champ doesn’t help, but the fact that he feels compelled to accomodate them is where things get a bit sketchy. Rumors that have circled many Pacquiao fight camps have left very little to the imagination, serving very heavy dosages of fantasy, while also shining light on the true reality. And that’s only regarding outside the ring. As many critics who have drawn questions about Pacquiao outside the ring, there are nearly twice as many who question how he’ll ultimately stack up inside the ring. In the absence of Floyd Mayweather Jr., avid supporters call him the sports newest Pound for Pound king. Critics of his, however, view him as a man with a braveheart and passion, who tends to lack the pure talent necessary to conquer someone who does possess the goods. Some members of the media have even narrowed him down as a one-dimensional slugger with a very spirited style. Exciting to watch, but one pure boxer away from being exposed. I personally wouldn’t go out on a limb and narrow it down that way, but I think we can all agree that pure talent is not Pacquiao’s strong point.
MANNY PACQUIAO – (THE FINAL ANALYSIS): The only fighter currently in the sport that I like to watch nearly as much as Pacquiao would be Miguel Cotto. The two of them have a style that makes a fight fan want to see them grill an opponent and in military terms, break them down from a ‘strong march’ to a ‘parade rest’. Other fighters out there excite in many different ways, but it’s technically impossible to not like a fighter like Pacquiao who brings a spirit into the ring that won’t be denied, or deterred regardless of what the opposition may bring to the fight. That being said, similarly to Ricky Hatton, one has to wonder when the habits away from the ring will catch up with Pacquiao in the ring. Fortunately, he doesn’t have the weight issues or stamina issues like Hatton, but it’s really hard not to see the outside interest playing a role at some point as far as negatively affecting preparation for a fight. I can remember leading up to the second Barrera fight when Pacquiao decided to head back to his country and trainer Freddie Roach ended up following him to train him over there which according to common knowledge was not planned. After getting to the Phillipines, there came another major training issue to contend with due to the number of people – 95% in which were unrelated spectators – who basically crowded the gym, which in Roach’s estimation went well above a few hundred people. These were only a couple examples of a number of things that continue to demonstrate why there’s such a growing concern over the training and pre-training lifestyle as they relate to the final ring product of Pacquiao. It’s hard for any fighter to adequately prepare, particularly against a formidable opponent, when these type of distractions and nuances are a norm. Eventually, these type of things have an odd way of catching up with fighters and I don’t think Pacquiao is exempt from that. For his current fight camp there have even been a few rumors swirling and one has to openly wonder what can manifest in a fight where he’s moving up in weight against a guy who has just as much tenacity as he does. I think without change, eventually this catches up to Pac-Man, and this upcoming assignment could very well be the fight that it happens in. Will Pacquiao’s spirit and will in the ring continue to help him overcome his habits outside the ring? Come next weekend we’ll all find out!
(Got Questions or Feedback?: Write ESB’s Vivek Wallace at vivexemail@yahoo.com or show some love at www.myspace.com/anonymouslyinvolved)