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Boxing: Pacquaio vs. Morales II
Mortz C. Ortigoza - 1/21/2006
Second to politics, my other love is boxing. Because it’s a mind - game primordially. As what Light Heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver said after his third fight with Roy Jones: “ It’s a chess match. One mistake and you’re doomed.” And Sun Tzu’s “Know your self, know your enemy” philosophy jibes very much on this fist game.
Two weeks before the first Pacqauio – Morales match, I prodded my younger brother in California to shelve everything and go to MGM in Las Vegas, Nevada and watch the said fight. I justified it on historical basis.
“Hey man, you would be talkin’ this stuff on your grandchildren someday!”
On March 19, 2005, he called me by cellular phone. My fervent wished was granted. He just met and talked at the lobby of MGM our kasimanwa (townsmate) North Cotabato Governor Manny Pinol (boxing commentator commissioned by ABS-CBN’s DZMM). Inside, he told me he bought the $500 ringside seat I told him. And he was only seats apart with heavyweight spent force Mike Tyson. Again, I will prod him to buy ringside for historical value.
The first fight was brutal, bloody, and action packed. We saw how Eric “El Terrible” Morales prepared and dominated the fight. He said they studied the weaknesses of Pacquaio as epitomized by his clashed with Marquez for eight times. As a result, Pacquaio-Morales I was obviously closed in favor of the latter. What made it interesting was the warrior in Pacquaio who like a bull kept charging. But the skillful matador - who trained hard in seclusion to become the most skillful pugilist (at par with Chavez) now in Mexico – kept inflicting staggering damages.
It was a see-saw fight as seen in the epic Barrera-Morales I & III, or Castillo – Corrales, but the sheer guts and grits on the disadvantaged Pacquaio made the showdown classic.
At the same time, it will keep boiling because Pacman fans – especially the regionalist Filipinos – would fight tooth and nail in debating that the gaping wound on his above right eyebrow, and obliging him to wear the more padded Winning gloves, instead of the less padded Cleto-Reyes, and other craps made their idol.
But, ‘nough said!
Morales is a superior boxer to the slugger Pacqauio. That head butting incident was not an alibi. The first five rounds before the accidental butt showed how El Terrible dominated those tsunami-laden left crosses and uppercuts of Pacman were no match to the Fort Knox type of defense of the Mexican. There, we learned a lesson how one can holed in a “Volkswagen” size Winning Glove where the latter covered his head and chin. ‘and instinctively , the same long right hand (his asset) acted as an anti-aircraft gun that gave barrages of explosions that saw the pugilist from General Santos City withdrawing and reeling on the ropes. And once, his head and body were dumped outside the said ropes that protect the players from falling.
In this second bout, I will not be surprised to see the same style of Manny. As they said, he is a one-dimensional fighter. He come to you blasting like an F-14 Tomcat from an aircraft carrier’s catapult to overwhelm you with his “1000 pound” bombs. Those monster left punch was one of the heaviest in boxing history. This is a “patrimonial” asset” Filipinos fans bank. But this power is not everything. Intelligent trainers had devised a counter-plan on this. We saw that on Evander Hollyfield against power puncher Milke Tyson, Bernard Hopkins against power puncher Trinidad, Winky Wright against Trinidad, and Morales against Pacquiao. Bivouacked always behind with your glove to protect against killer punch. Counter punch if necessary. Move laterally from the killer fist, out maneuver, and outbalance your enemy, and overwhelm him.
The subsequent boxing-statistics show how the Mark Man in Morales dictated the shots:
Punchstatistics:
Morales Pacquiao
Thrown
714
894
Landed
265 217
%
37 % 24%
Jabs
Thrown
303
349
Landed
96
34
%
32%
10%
Power Punches:
Thrown
411
545
Landed
169
183
%
41 %
34%
Judges Scorecards:
Smith
115
113
Moretti
115
113
Giampa
115
113
So, how could trainer Freddie Roach strike a fight plan to a much better Mexican boxer despite his less numbered of shots unleashed still can efficiently hit most numbered of targets? Do a Zahir Raheem? But Pacquiao is not a flexible fighter to do this kind of a Sugar Ray Leonard, or Roy Jones style of hit and run fight. Pacman is a slugger. A go-go fighter. He is like a typical jueteng (gambling) bettor in Philippines. Keep betting to get the lucky strike. So, how could he plant that knockout punch when he runs like a jaywalker on Edsa Highway. For me, Morales will still outbox Pacqauio. He is skillful and more flexible boxer. As what undefeated boxing champ Floyd Mayweather had looked down at Arturo Gatti” “ He is a bum. He is not my level”. Pacman, hurt to say, is like a bum. His class is below the Mexican in terms of prowess.
But as a Filipino, I don’t wanna be killjoy and unpatriotic. I don’t wanna be charged with inciting to sedition, or the less charged of arresto mayor called alarm & scandal by my countrymen. Thus, my piece of advise to everybody who wanna grab my balls and chew them. Let’s pray that Pacman could land that lucky left punch to the evasive Mehikano who got also the toughest whisker (chin) in the world. Notwithstanding, his background of not being knockdown in dozens of his world championship warfare.
Remember baby, I’m still filipino!
Analysis: Pacquaio vs. Morales II
(Second of the two – part series)
As you read this column, it will be only days before the moment of reckoning of who is the best pugilist at this Super featherweight (130 pounds) marquee fight on January 22 (Manila Time) that will be held at Thomas & Mack Center at La Vegas, Nevada in USA.
Psychologically, Manny “Pacman” Pacqauio will have no excuses like the inconvenient socks he wore (in the Marquez draw), rooms, tickets, and quarrels that bothered him before his first fight with Erik “El Terrible” Morales”. Before this second grudge fight with the latter, the former had probably accomplished his 130 sparring rounds with at least four boxers. One of them was a lightweight (135 pounds) Russian. The gods would be smiling at the filipino gladiator because he will be using the less padded Winning gloves. And his performance will be much better this time because he is coming out for a revenge for his lost to Erik last March 20 (Manila time), 2005. On the other hand, El Terrible has maximizes his training by hitting the bags ahead of Pacman. He is not only there in Vegas to defeat or knockout Pacman as he said, but to redeem his lopsided loss to the sophisticated Zahir Raheem last September 2005 as I surmised. He sparred with Seven boxers. Four of them were former world champions.
Physically, Morales is much bigger than Pacquaio. He should be at 135 pounds (lightweight) breaking heads with big guys like Diego Corrales, Julio Diaz , to name a few. His size, and hand reach proved to be a bane for Pacman. His granite chin, and his record of durability of not being decked or knockout is one of his strength. His long left jabs where a good cover for his strong right cross (straight), uppercut, or hook that saw Pacquaio withdrew helter-skelter from this right counter punch ( inspired by Juan Manny Marquez counter punching superiority against Pacqauio that nearly defeated the latter).
Pacman, known for his renowned previous world championship fights as a high gear go – getter fighter after the bell rang in the first round. His “atomic bomb” powered left hand saw many slept with nightmare on the canvass. Not to mention the Porsche-liked speed of this said hand. This Filipino stamina is exceptional. His 12 round is like his first round performance. Identical with the kind of staying power of Bernanrd “The Executioner” Hopkins.
Tactically, Pacman known as a one dimensional fighter like Mike Tyson. He is like those Flintstone’s guys who carry a big wooden club on the left hand rushing to his opponent by bludgeoning him to pulp mercilessly. On this rubber match, Manny becomes more dangerous because the washing machine size Winning gloves would be replaced by the less padded leather. An advantage for a knockout puncher like him. Probably some of the Mehikanos’ scream in Vegas would be like this: “Look out! That flintstone dude is no longer carrying a wooden club. God save us, he now wields a 2 feet long strong iron pipe sawed by those thieves from the sewerage system . Save your head, run for your life!”
But Morales was undeterred, he said he used the said gloves too in his more experienced boxing battles. He added, he found no difference to Reyes and Winning. With the padded Winning, he KO’d a lot of opponents. He could slug Pacquaio to the latter’s mitt’s preference. Or if he wants, they can do it without the gloves, as he declared in one his late and rare press conference. Morales is a slick boxer. His well-studied fight with Pacman last March proved that circling the latter from his lethal left hand at the same time bombarding him with his (Morales) long left jabs as his Big Bertha’s right hand exploded to the face and body of the filipino hero. As he put the final ejaculation to the said March encounter, In the 12 round he boldly and carelessly mixed with Pacman by changing to the southpaw stance ( positioned his left hand to the rear, while his right hand was positioned to the front). Thus opening his right chin (sensitive area for knockout) to the left hand bombs of Manny amidst the wild cheers of the Mexican fans. This, as one instance, how El Terrible could take punches from the said knockout artist.
Freddie Roach declared that his Filipino ward will be a complete boxer. No more one sided bull like attack? Probably, a blueprint for what Zahir Raheem had whimsically done to Moralels with speed and slick last September. I doubt, however, if this kind of style can be harnessed by Roach to Pacquaio overnight . They just start training for this strategy last December 3 to prepare for a contentious tactical fight this coming January 22. Can this experiment to transform a one sided fighter to a multi- skilled one effectively especially if tested to a multi-dimensional 29 year old fighter that boxed since five year old. And held three weight boxing divisions as world champion.
( You can react or call this writer at totomortz@yahoo.com )
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