08.01.09 – by James Slater – In news that is sure to amaze many fight fans, pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, a recent shock winner over welterweight Oscar De La Hoya, says he would like very much to face WBA 147-pound champion Antonio Margarito, convinced as he is that he can beat him. It’s likely a number of readers, upon seeing this story, will be asking themselves whether or not “Pac-Man’s” win over De La Hoya went to the southpaw’s head!
Beating an ageing, weight-drained De La Hoya is one thing, but is Manny out of his mind in thinking he would be able to live with, let alone beat, the huge Mexican known as “The Tijuana Tornado?” Margarito, after all, steps into the ring above the middleweight limit, even though he somehow boils down to welterweight 24 hours previously.. Surely, at that poundage, “Tony” would be way too strong for the man who won his first world title down at flyweight? And then there’s the height and reach advantages Margarito would have over the Filipino.
To this writer’s mind, it will be a sign of things having gone way too far if Pacquiao does wind up sharing a ring with the biggest and best welterweight in the world. However, in an interview with top boxing writer Ron Borges, in a piece that appeared in The Manila Times today, “Pac-Man’s” trainer Freddie Roach spoke of his warrior wanting the fight with the formidable Mexican.
“Manny wants to fight Margarito, ” Roach said. “Manny thinks he can out-box him. Margarito is a big welterweight. He’d have a lot of advantages physically, but Manny doesn’t really worry about that. I don’t know but he believes he can beat him.”
Wow, is all that can be said upon reading such comments. Pacquiao’s fearlessness is legendary, but tackling someone as huge and as dangerous as Margarito would be something else again.
In the same article, Margarito said he’d be more than willing to accept the fight.
“Pacquiao looked very good [against De La Hoya] and showed that he can fight against the better welterweights,” Margarito said to Mexican daily El Nuevo Dia. “If he and the promoters agree, and want to do it – I will gladly do it.”
Damn straight Margarito would take the fight. With his rock chin, combined with his insurmountable physical advantages, the welterweight tough guy would be looking at an easy, yet huge payday.
It’s unlikely the fight will actually happen, but you never know for sure. After all, that’s what everyone said when Pacquiao-De La Hoya was first suggested. Many people were concerned about Pacquiao’s well being going into that fight – imagine how these same people will feel if Manny steps in there with Margarito!