Two punches for and against Pacquiao

I did not want to talk about the Pacquiao-Morales fight because it would not be in line with this column. But, as I observed, the sports analysts and those who have keen sporting eyes would rather talk about the knock down in the second round of the bout and the eventual knock out in the third round as well as on how emaciated Morales appeared.

To me, the punches that defined the fight came early in the first round. They were a right cross and a left hook. Pacquiao delivered the right cross while moving back and Morales was coming forward. The Mexican did not see it simply because he did not expect it. In the previous two encounters they had, Manny did not have that kind of a punch. When stepping back, he would have no counter to a combination of jabs, straights and hooks as he would be open to the attack of the man they called El Terrible. So, it was a new weapon of our countryman and a lethal one at that. As I saw it, Erik got it flush on his left jaw. It stunned him and stopped him on his track. I could even discern that his knees somehow buckled. Only a superb conditioning propped his body up.

Manny's left hook came in later. It hit the right side of the Mexican with such a tremendous force that the latter almost doubled up. Again, the hook was not a favored arsenal of the Filipino in the earlier two meetings. Erik was prepared, with a raised right, for a left cross to his face but not a hook to his body. His parry came in late. It would not be impossible to imagine that lost a part of his windpipe with that wicked hook.

Since the Mexican felt the power of those two new punches, he knew that his foe, our pride, had come more than prepared. His strategy was definitely affected. At the back of his mind, he was not just thinking of the tenth round knockout loss he suffered at the hands of our ring icon caused by a left straight. He had to be wary with the equally ponderous right cross and the unforgiving left hook. Manny had become a more compleat fighter. He was not just the "KO" artist who would rely upon his sledge hammer blows. More importantly, he had developed a variety of killer blows that would be difficult to defend against.

Manny Pacquiao himself has to prepare for two lethal punches coming his way. Unfortunately, these are the kind of blows which are not delivered by human hands and so, they are more difficult to evade or parry. Indeed, they are the blows that the boxer's skills, honed by hours of gym work and actual combats, are not trained to counter. These are the right crosses and left hooks in a pugilist life outside of the ring. The right cross that I am referring to is the probable mess arising out of conflicting contractual obligations.

Manny's tremendous popularity the world over makes him the obvious target of scheming personages in the boxing world. His name would be worth millions in fight cards that they would do everything to place it as the main event of their own promotions. While Pacquiao is probably the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world today alongside Floyd Mayweather Jr., his talent is of less help in discerning the ramifications of written contracts. He should be cautious and the people close to him should be wary of the fine print.

The left hook heading Pacquiao's way comes from exploitative politicians. They can easily beguile Manny with pompous and high-sounding names as the Honorable so and so. It may be easy to flatter our boxer with high elective positions but he should study carefully the perceived offers reportedly being handed to him to join in the elections. He is without preparations for that kind of a life.

This kind of right cross and left hook may not render Manny Pacquiao financially bankrupt but certainly a bitter squabble with promoters and his sally into the political arena shall erode the pedestal on which we have placed him.

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