Between Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera, it’s Pacquiao who appears to be the true champion although Barrera has the bigger belt.  Their classic battle back in November 2003 has been a source of inspiration for Manny and a haunting debacle for Marco.

With their expected rematch put to an indefinite schedule, the disadvantage appears to be on the side of Marco than on the side of Manny.  Here are some justifications.

First, the darling of the boxing world right now is Manny Pacquiao.  Whoever gets to slug it out with the PACMAN gets a fair share of the glory and gold.  In the last four fights of Manny, practically everyone involved including the losing opponents have enjoyed profits instead of losses.  On the other hand, in the last two fights of Marco, there is scarcely anything to be shared among the protagonists.

Second, the meaning of a quality fight has been changed.  If before, all championship fights get the billing of blockbusters, not anymore.  Even the lowly WBC International Championship between Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales has taken on the quality of an actual, true-blue undisputed championship caliber.  Conversely, the two battles between Barrera and Juarez were wanting in appeal.

Third, Marco’s reputation as a boxer is tainted with the loss to the PACMAN.  Without a rematch, Marco’s being the champion is still questioned until he can exact revenge with Manny and erase all doubts about his stock as the best superfeatherweight in the world.

Without Pacquiao, I tell you, Barrera’s stock is low.

“I want to fight Manny Pacquiao.  I really want this fight.  I made a promise to myself to fight Pacquiao again and show him what a true Mexican is really made of.  Mexicans are tough fighters and I will show him that in a rematch.”  Those are cocky words (thanks to boxingscene.com) from the legendary Marco Antonio Barrera, the current WBC Superfeatherweight Champion.

Barrera’s colorful career has to be capped with a single definitive bout with no less than the hottest boxer on the planet, Manny Pacquiao.  He has met the Pacman in November 2003, a date he keeps trying to forget but one that refuses to be erased from his memory.

He lost to Pacquiao that time and he can well justify it with good reasons.  But a loss is a loss and it’s already on record.  He has lost to other boxers before but his loss to Pacquiao is one that he has so much pride to accept because he did not only lose, he was completely devastated, a thing no one ever thought could happen, including Barrera himself.

This explains his deep eagerness to take on the Pacman again and prove to the whole world that the one who holds the belt at present is the best superfeatherweight.

Those words that he uttered somehow paints the picture of his hunger to avenge his loss, although we could just dismiss his words as mere boxing propaganda.

He said that he will show what a true Mexican is really made of.  Didn’t he show that already in 2003?  Or if he didn’t show then, didn’t his compatriots, Emmanuel Lucero, Juan Manuel Marquez, Hector Velasquez, Oscar Larios, and  Erik Morales show it when they faced Pacquiao?

Would those words ever mean anything significant to Manny Pacquiao?  Or Manny would just simply respond by saying, “My fist will do the talking for me”?  Whatever motive Barrera has in crying out his cocky words, he still has to contend with the truth:  PACQUIAO HAS BEEN MAKING MINCEMEAT OUT OF MEXICANS!

After having all his chances to fight Manny Pacquiao, Eric Morales should now pass the baton to his compatriot, the equally legendary Marco Antonio Barrera.

Among the current crop of great Mexican fighters, only Morales earned the distinction of beating the Pacman, but that doesn’t mean that only he is capable of doing that.

Marco Antonio Barrera, being a legend that he is although he is thought to be over his prime already due to his age, should be as capable as Morales was of disposing off the Filipino boxing icon.

The fact that he beat Morales twice in their own trilogy of battles means he also packs a promise of beating the Pacman.  He is currently the WBC Superfeatherweight champ and that suggests a lot in the question of beating Pacquiao.

It’s his turn now, and for all intents and purposes, his rematch with the Filipino pride is the one remaining match left for him to completely cap a sterling fighting career.  He is getting old and he is not getting the best bouts he should have right now.  No matter how he denies it, his caliber as a champion is tainted by Pacquiao and the only way he can undo that is to set up a Barrera-Pacquiao II.

He now has his chance and as the true ring warrior that he is, he has to take this chance very soon before somebody else takes it from him.  I believe that the drama of the Barrera-Pacquiao II will overshadow the epic character of the Pacquiao-Morales 3.

Manny Pacquiao said he is ready to take on anyone.  Barrera had better make his move now.

The first knockout loss of Morales last January was due largely to one thing about Pacquiao: his gloves. The Cleto Reyes gloves did their damage on Morales especially in round 2 where Pacquaio gave a powerful left straight that sent Morales off-balance. Had he not held on to the rope, he should have been knocked down.

That left straight hit the center of Morales’ nose and since then, Morales had trouble breathing through the nose–a factor for his losing steam along the way.

If Pacquiao can hit Morales again in the same fashion, El Terrible will have to contend again with difficult breathing.

The Morales camp tried to deny the difference made by the gloves but it is evident that the gloves are a big factor.

In the first fight, Pacquiao’s power was diminished by the thick padding of the Winning gloves. In the rematch, Morales felt the difference with the Reyes gloves as he went down to the floor.

Pacquiao cannot break Erik’s nose with the Winning gloves but with the Cleto Reyes, expect Manny to target his opponent’s nose again.

Morales said that the last time he fought Manny Pacquiao, he tired out and that caused him to lose.

Boxing is a sports for the best conditioned athletes that’s why boxers have to train long enough to prepare for a single bout. If indeed Morales lost because he tired out, then the training he had was questionable.

He is currently watching his training closely and is praying that he will not tire out in their rubber match on November 18, 2006 in Las Vegas.

Should his training be a lot better now, will that mean he will not tire out anymore? I doubt it, and I have a suggestion for Manny to tire Morales out once more–BODY BLOWS.

Body blows take much of a fighter’s strength and upset much of his strategy. If Pacquiao’s speed and power should be most devastating, they should be aimed at the kidney and liver areas of Morales. In their last meeting, Pacquiao gave Morales a good number of stinging body attacks. Some of them caused Erik to grimace and lose his balance.

Morales is tough in the head. He has had battles with the best punchers of his division and none of them ever had broken his chin. It was only Pacquiao who made Morales feel the daze of a punch to the head . . . but not after he gave Morales a good dose of abdominal shots.

When Pacquiao has taken much of Morales’ strength through body shots, then he could shift to the head, especially the nose, to let Morales breathe in gasps and . . . it’ll be over. Pacquiao via TKO!

There is probably no doubt that if Erik Morales loses to Manny Pacquiao on November 18, 2006, their so-called “rubber match”, he will hang up his gloves for good.

If he wins, however, what could be awaiting his future?  What about Pacquiao?  What if the pride of the Philippines is humbled by Morales?  Where will he go after a loss, just in case?

For sure, if Morales wins, he will move up to the top 10 pound-for-pound lists and seal once again his eminence in the world of boxing.  He will perhaps get a crack again at the legendary Marco Antonio Barrera and resurrect their epic battles in the past.  He can also try his mettle against fellow Mexican Israel Vasquez who holds the IBF superbantam title.

The possibilities are limitless for Morales should he hurdle his assignment with the power-punching Pacman.  Of course, if the reverse is what happens, possibilities for him are very limited.

On the other hand, a loss by the Pacman will surely be a big blow to his stardom although I feel that even with a loss, he still packs some respect and notoriety.

He still has unfinished business with Barrera and Marquez, two highly touted superfeatherweights who tasted his fury the last time he met each of them.  A loss with Morales will surely tarnish his record but it will not in any way obliterate the fact that he is still a very marketable personality in the sweet science.

In the final analysis, a win by Morales will spell good future for him, but if he loses, it may be the end for “El Terrible”.  On the other hand, either a win or a loss will not have a tremendous effect on Pacquiao’s stature.  He is still the exciting and relentless Pacman the boxing world knows.  If he wins it’s good; if he loses, it’s bad but it will not be so bad.

Having dispose of the stubborn Rocky Juarez last Sunday, Marco Antonio Barrera has no other opponent to salivate for except his latest tormentor, Manny PACMAN Pacquiao.

While it is true he won his rematch with Juarez, there was simply nothing noteworthy to highlight Barrera to a star status after the fight.  It was just a simple show of his experience overcoming the game of a good but incapable opponent.

“So what?” is all what many can say when told that Barrera won against Juarez.  We wonder if the same reaction will be given when he fights the PACMAN.

If Manny Pacquiao hurdles the 3rd part of his trilogy of matches with Erik Morales, then there’s probably no more obstacle to a Barrera-Pacquiao II, and if it really materializes, it will be one for the books.

In terms of boxing economics, the second face-off of Barrera and Pacquiao promises a lot.  There is currently a proliferation of mediocre or even low quality boxing matches, the Barrera-Juarez 1 and 2 included.  If at all, there can be one redeeming weight class for all of boxing to return to its glory days and that is the superfeatherweight class where Pacquiao and Barrera are.

The heavyweight division, the bastion of boxing’s glory in the past is reeling on the absence of excellent personalities.  Even the names of Oscar dela Hoya and Floyd Mayweather don’t seem to promise so much as far as quality of boxing is concerned.

The potentials of the lower weights have much to offer than those of the heavier classes and the blockbuster matches are those that feature a bout between and among Barrera, Morales and Pacquiao.  Of the three, Pacquiao is obviously the darling of the crowd right now that even if his fight is against someone other than Barrera and Morales, the returns are high.

But when the bell does ring and the protagonists are Barrera and Pacquiao next year, expect that that match is candidate for fight of the year.

Manny PACMAN Pacquiao is set to leave for the United States this weekend to begin a rigorous training in what could be the biggest test of his colorful ring career.

On November 18, 2006, he will climb up the square ring to face tormentor and victim Erik “El Terrible” Morales.  Morales is obviously the underdog in their rubber match not only because he lost to PACMAN the last time, but also because he has lost four of his last five fights.

That being the case, there is not much pressure on Morales’ part.  He’s got nothing to lose and everything to gain and if the camp of Pacquiao will not do their homework, Morales might just score one of the big boxing upsets this year.

Pacquiao and his team, however, are very much aware of the implications of a loss to Morales so they are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to put an end to Morales’ boxing career and bring the name of Pacquiao to more marketable status.

Freddie Roach will look after the PACMAN’s training himself and his Wild Card Boxing Gym will again play a major role of an excellent training camp for the exciting Filipino ring idol.

Roach has prepared a systematic 18-week training for Pacquiao to get into the best of shape and in the best armored boxer.

First thing to do is to bring Pacquiao’s weight to the best level.  In the previous trainings that Roach has trained the PACMAN, the weight has not been a big problem and there’s no indication that it will be a problem this time.

The second priority is to bring Pacquiao’s firepower to the maximum, especially his vaunted left straight and the vastly improved right jab and hook.  The fight with Larios showed how Manny’s right hand has done considerable damage to the excellently trained Larios.  In the rematch with Morales, Pacquiao broke the nose of Erik with a powerful left straight that sent Morales staggering by the ropes.

The third thing foremost in Roach’s mind is to condition Pacquiao’s stamina to last long enough without losing much firepower.  He knows that Morales will be coming in probably the best shape of his career and Roach knows just how to neutralize a Morales assault–make him work hard until he loses steam in the later rounds where he will be ripe for the taking.

When the bell rings in the first round, the whole Filipino nation will again be behind Pacquiao’s corner.  Things will again come to a stop and Pacmania will again prevail in the air.  Even the whole world will be anxiously watching every blow that the PACMAN throws.

There is always this contradiction about the pound-for-pound best boxers in the planet.  In some lists, the no. 1 p4p right now is Floyd Mayweather, Jr.  In other lists, it’s Manny Pacquiao.  There seems to be not much contestations in the rest of the top 10 in most lists.  But the question is: Why can’t everyone agree on the top 2 spots?

I don’t own any credibility in sport of boxing except that I can distinguish between a great fight and a dull fight.  I am no expert on boxing technicalities but I am no ignoramus about the sport.  I just want to share an idea to somehow put a sort of reconciling factor between the believers of the two mentioned fighters relative to their being the best pound-for-pound boxers.

My suggestion is this:  Why not classify the best of boxers in terms of more definitive variables such as the “most scientific”, the “speediest puncher”, the “hardest puncher”, the “best counter-puncher”, the “best slugger”, and so on.  I believe that with this groupings, there would be less debate as to who is the best.

Let me explain that there is a possibility that one particular boxer could be no. 1 in more than one category.  For instance, one boxer could be the most scientific and also the hardest puncher, although there can be no one who is both the best counter-puncher and best slugger at the same time because a slugger is normally not a counter-puncher.  There could be someone who is no. 1 in many of the categories but that would be very rare.

And what is interesting in this categorization is that when different boxers occupy the no.1 spot in the categories, we could safely say who is the better of two no. 1 fighters or who is the best among the best.  This is especially true when occupants of the no. 1 spots in the categories can meet in the same ring.  For example, if we say that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is the best scientific boxer and he comes to meet the best slugger like Manny Pacquiao, we can have a clear case of technical boxing vs. fired up boxing.  Whoever the winner is, there is a clearcut distinction between two boxing styles.  Could we say that scientific boxing is superior to fired up boxing, or that a scientific boxer does not have enough to dethrone a slugger?  The answer is right where your eyes can clearly see.

Another level of interest in this categorization is when results would vary from boxer to boxer.  Take this example.  If at one point the speediest boxer wins against the best counter-puncher but loses against the best slugger, that will make the categorization even more interesting.  Also when results are different in rematches, then that’s another case to make categorization interesting.

With this categorization of the best boxers in the world, there can less debate as to who is the best fighter had they all been in the same weight class.  Discussions on who is the best would be more in the fine-tuned manner instead of the simple stats-based evaluation.

What can you say?

In my previous post, I ask what Manny Pacquiao should do to beat Erik Morales again.  Now it is perfectly fair to ask:  What should Erik Morales do to win against the PACMAN?

In my opinion, if Morales cannot surpass the kind of training that Oscar Larios had against Pacquiao, he stands no chance of beating the fiery Filipino southpaw.

Oscar Larios had the best training in his entire career when he tried his chance against the PACMAN.  The excellence of his training is actually shown by his surviving two knockdowns and lasting the distance.  Yes, he failed to win but he is one of the few who lost to Pacquiao by decision.  Morales and Barrera failed to last the distance in their losing cause against the Filipino ring idol.

Morales should better get through with weight management soon before his training becomes more of trying to make weight instead of devising ways to neutralize the onslaught of the Pacquiao power.

What do you say, guys and gals?