There was a time in his career, back when he got knocked out twice, that some boxing guys regarded Manny Pacquiao as a claimer, a also ran horse.
This was when he wasn't even regarded as, to use Floyd Mayweather's insuting description, an "ordinary" fighter.
You get banged out by Rustico Torrecampo and and Medgoen Lukchaopormasak--two guys whose names read like the charts at your eye doctor's office--and people say mean things.
But Pacman has turned out to be, sticking with the racehorse analogy, a thoroughbred along the lines of the great Seabiscuit.
But never let it be forgotten that the jockey, Boston Freddie Roach, rides his charge like he's Eddie Arcaro, Laffit Pincay or the legendary Willie Shoemaker.
The other day I heard a smat boxing guy say how the importance of trainers is overrated. That begs the question, though, of why there are so few Roach types around in gyms these days.
AP Photo
I applaud Roach for pulling the reins on Megamanny and cutting back his sparring. Roach is spot on in saying Manny does not need 150 rounds of sparring because it's overkill. As Roach noted, Pacman came to this camp in fine fettle because he bounced from the November Cotto bout to this match.
Sparring, not trainers, really is the most overrated and overdone thing in boxing and it's worse when you let a getting older (like Manny at age 31 and after 55 pro bouts) boxer leave his fight in the gymnasium.
Less is more when it comes to sparring and this strategic limitation by Coach Roach will pay dividends come March 13 against Joshua Clottey.
As for Clottey, is he doing any sparring? Or is he still trying to figure out who is going to train him.
The Clottey camp is beginning to look like "F Troop" while Team Pacquiao rolls along, never missing a beat.
Clottey's got heart but some Big Apple trainers, like Delen "Blimp" Parsley and veteran Lennox Blackmoore, told me Monday night at Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn they can't see him derailing the Megamanny Express.
"Clottey will get to a certain point and then he will quit," Parsley said.
"I think Clottey will be competitive but not for too long," ex-fighter Blackmoore said.
Not exactly a rousing vote of confidence from his adopted home city, is it?
Maybe a look at Clottey in camp, now that he is in South Florida, will change my mind but I'm beginning to smell a Texas mismatch. Maybe I'm being too harsh but I wonder if the enormity of the event--the 30,000 fans and all that--might emotionally overwhelm "B side" Clottey.
A peaking Pacquiao might make Clottey look like it's his first rodeo if you know what I mean.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Comments
The way Manny is going, anyone will seem a mismatch.
The only think peaking with Manny is his sneaky steroid intake from Alex Ariza.
It's so tiring to hear and read about Manny using steroid without proof. Any more new accusations? Can't you guys come up with any new sickening lies? I mean, get a life. Making accusations like that makes you look like an idiot. Give it up!
Mr. Marley, you are underating Clottey. He is one of the most unluckiest boxers ever because his toughness makes him one of the most avoidable in the ring. Every sane person will know he beat Cotto. Jim Lampley said it best when he said "Clottey won the fight but lost the decision because Cotto was the better man for fighting on in the 12th round." Clottey thought he had won the fight so he did not fight in the 12th. Also he got disqualfied against Baldimare for a spposed head butt when he was leading. In his only legitimate loss against Margaritto, he was leading till he broke his hand in the 5th round. And again, Margarittos victories are all quesionable.
Clottey is not a crowd puller, not a big name but he'll surprise a lot of peole on the night. This fight is more intrigueing than what most of you guys think.
@Warrior
the devil never sleeps bro. they can say whatever they want but at the end of the day Manny is fighter of the decade!
@Warrior
the devil never sleeps bro. they can say whatever they want but at the end of the day Manny is fighter of the decade!
It's good thing that Manny is continuing his hard training, because he can never underestimate Clottey. Clottey is very tough and I also think he will bring a good fight to the viewers better than Floydie.
Roach is a great trainer, he fills equips his students with gloves and boxing knowledge. unlike FMsr. (i dont like to compare both guys but he said roach was a joke) who fills his students with ego and fighting words only.....
A trained monkey will train and train to no avail.Clottey will emerge victorious!
Mr Marley and these so called experts keep on saying Clottey is in bad shape. no trainer, camp is not good enough, but believe me they will bet on Clottey come fight night hoping for an upset!
Hard training that is Pacquiao PED, let chickenfloyd jr.need to know it.
FRANKLY SPEAKING TEAM PACMAN I THINK IS NOT TAKING CLOTTEY SERIOUSLY,, THEY ARE NOW MORE INTERESTAED IN WHO WILL BETWEEN pbf and ssm,, THEN CHALLENGE THE WINNER OF THIS BOUT( im still hoping that pbf could win so the megabout w/ pac will materialize late this year ,, definitely it will be more better for the sports we love but im still crossing my fingers on it,, SSM HAS A 60% CHANCE TO WHIP'S PBF ASS..),,, CLOTTEY WELL I DO HOPE THAT HE START'S TO GET SERIOUS WITH HIS TRAININGS OR AT THE END OF THE DAY AFTER THE MARCH 13 EVENT BOUT ,, HE WILL JUST FOUND OUT WHY HE WAS RUSH IN THE HOSPITAL...
@PTO has no life
@pacquiao the orangutan: if you have nothing good to say, just shut up and keep your opinion to yourself. That's the first rule on good manners and right conduct. Your comment, although you think maybe funny, just exposes the kind of person you are. Learn some sense you lowlife scambug.
My crystal ball tells me it's goin to be a a Pacman vs Mosley fight unless what what I have always suspected that Mosley was paid around $15M to let Mayweather weave thru so the Floyds camp will have the psychological nd negotiational upperhand in dealing with Pacman for the fight of the century/the biggest unsurpassed payday of them all the Pacman vs Floyd fight ni doubt.
Hey SCUMBAG!This is how you spell it OK! PACTURD!!
Lets get it over with Clottey and Mosley. By the time Pacman and Floyd are on the table again, the fight should be NO HOLDS BARRED!
Guys i think the orangutan enjoys everytime we reply to his $hittttttttttt comments... just ignore this retard mongofloyd,,
hey mike marley my man..this would not be the first rodeo..because the first rodeo was the first barrera fight, the second one was the dela hoya fight and the third will be this fight.
Pac the Orangutan is a fitting name for you and your less significant hypocrite friend Floyd "the addict", "brittle hands", "no more money" Floydacaine!
orangutan u r just true to yourself..u r just showing that u r really an orangutan
Word is the Floydacaine has Kryptonite. I disagree, I think its Hypo-Kryt.
Clottey is a good solid fighter who will lose but Pacquiao is going to have to work. Pacquiao has too much for him but the 1st half of the fight could be interesting. Clottey is a good fighter but Pacquiao is special and thats the difference. Roach won't underestimate anyone because he has seen it all. BTY, Mayweather-Mosley is the bigger event, better fight and if anyone argues that is ignorant. No disrespect but just the facts. Mosley is top 4 p4p in the world but Floyd is a special fighter also and the world including team Pacquiao will be schocked when Floyd picks Mosley apart. Everyone talks power & speed but Floyd shows he is the most intelligent fighter maybe ever by saying timing & inches win fights. He might annoy alot of people but you can't deny he is the most complete,talented, & skilled boxer in the world. Get ready for the biggest fight in over 25 years this fall. Manny vs Money. If they both win & not fight then i hope they both retire. This fall is their last chance!!!!
NOBODY CAN BEAT PACQUIAO IT WILL TAKE 3-5 YEARS OR MORE BEFORE HE STARTS TO FADE... FLOYDS KNEW IT!!!1
orangutan....mmmm....isn't that in the family of gorillas and monkeys? Mmmmmmm.....I wonder if they're talking about Floyd....mmmmm.....
Clottey will win this big if Manny will divert his attention to the rodeo in Saranggani that started to roll yesterday.
Beware, team Clottey might be using this one so that Manny will be over confident.
My son Junior will be humbled after Mosley beat him up convincingly.
OSCAR, DID YOU SIGN THE WAIVERS? IF YOU HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE, JUST SIGN IT.
Mr.Marley.We can not underestimate Mr.Clottey boxing talents and strong determinations to win. HE IS JUST STILL VERY DANGEROUS FOR PACMAN EVEN WITHOUT HIS OLD TRAINER. PACMAN has to be very careful of CLOTTEY HEAD BUTTS as this is his fighting styles .PACMAN SHOULD NOT BE OVER CONFIDENT, Clottey is a solid rock and his weakness is DEHYDRATION.
Floyd is
UNDEFEATED.
I don't think floydlocaine will fight me becasue this time my share will be 70/30 it will not be 50/50. to tell you the truth i don't wnat floydlocaine make money of me. remember i don't need him and he needs me.
yea, pacman is orangutan
There's nothing to say bad about Clottey he's just a poor guy... I wish we had the Xylocaine this March 13
Clottey can have my xylocaine. Beat this envy jealous orangutan to death. Long live, 40-0.
BIG TIME BREAKTHROUGH!
CBS WILL DO INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING ON MANNY THE STEROID USER! WOW, MAINSTREAM MEDIA GOT ITS ATTENTION ON THIS FILIPINI FRAUD.
Kudos to Clottey. He has the BALLS to fight Pacman. Even if his camp is in disarray you cant hear any blabber. He is facing everything like a true warrior. What about the DUCK? He is beginning to QUACK again...quack quack quack....
MAZHAR suck my F>>>ckn d>>>ck you moron!!!
manny trains like a horse, will start to kiss the canvass in round 2 manny will finish him in 6 round. over. i am looking forward for pacquiao vs. valero, this is a good match up, two fighters, having a roberto duran hands, surely a rumble! where is floyd? still hidin!
As usual I'll be looking for the best camera angle for me to pose before you adoring fans after the fight. I'm sorry, but it is in our blood to be camera conscious. I,m not sure with being kapalmuks, maybe it's on my wife's side. Inggit lang kayo.
Valero/Pacquiao match up is exciting,people love to 2 monkeys going at it mano Y mano
they are not monkeys, manny is the philippine eagle, he eats monkey! we have plenty of that in the philippines!
right on the money mr. marley. I'll add to that. If Megamanny is still improving like what we've seen since david diaz, delahoya, hatton and last time out, Cotto. IMHO, Cotto looked great during that fight and we saw a still improving pacman, Pacman would probably make clottey look like a bum if he gets any better than he was against Cotto. The real challenge is can Pacman knock Clottey? later rounds i think
Wag nyo nang pansinin yang si Pacquiao the Orangutan, Pinoy din yan, ilang beses na naming nabisto yan ayaw pa ring tumigil.
Eto mga pangalang ginagamit niya:
Pacquiao the Orangutan, #1floydfan, superfly, superduperfly, hay naku hindi ko na maalala lahat sa dami.
Pero ang talagang pangalan niya ay si Makapili.
Traydor kasi yan e. Habang pinagtatanggol nating lahat ang pambansang kamao e eto naman siya na nagpapanggap na alagad ng mortal na kaaway ni Manny na bakla, na malamang e katulad niyang bakla rin. Ewan ko ba kung bakit walang tigil na binabastos ni Makapili ang pambansang kamao, pati kapwa mo pinoy binabastos mo gago ka.
Makapili, tama na yan. Tangnamo magbago ka na.
Pasensiyahan nyo na ko ha, bakla ako e
Ang tatay ko ay bakla rin tulad ko, ang nanay ko naman ay pokpok. Isa akong batugan na walang ginagawa sa bahay kundi ang magkamot ng betlog.
Makapili, putanginamo tumigil ka na ha. Binabastos mo kapwa mo pinoy sa ginagawa mong pambabastos sa pambansang kamao.
O baka sasabihin mo na naman na taga South Pacific ka? Tangnamo ilang beses ka nang nabisto ayaw mo pang tumigil, sumasagot ka ng tanong namin na puro tagalog, aba'y paano mo ba naiintindihan ang tagalog kung hindi ka Pinoy?
Tama na, Makapili. Kailangan tayong lahat ng pambansang kamao. Pakiusap lang.
February 10, 2010
Dear Paclanders,
Let us forget floyd"maryjane" mayweather let us focus on Edwin Valero, the latin bangus from venezuela, floyd should rest in peace after mosley orangutan knocks him cold! please understand, that floyd is desperate and 2 feet away from autopsy.
Marley please avoid mentioning maryjane in your article, stubborn floyd should be standing beside barack obama instead he asked for excuses going to the comfort room.
Beloved paclanders, valero is pistolero, and pistolero gonna kiss the canvass also, good records, but all members of tricycle association of the philippines. pacquiao will gonna push the pedals and not valero coming july! where is floyd again? still on his father's back riding like a pitiful little orangutan!
Finally beloved paclanders, always listen to marley because he knows when and where to drop the atomic bombs coming from the south pacific!
The meteorite is coming, lets go and drink kulapu!
God bless manny and God ble
Mga putang ina nyong lahat! Tumahimik nga kayo! Mga gagao
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