Is Pacquiao a
Sure Bet Over “The Hitman?”
By Jason Sardelis
January 29, 2009
(JAN 29) As history and “Rocky” always
reminds us, never count out the underdog. Mosley / Margarito is an early
2009 reminder. As prestigious as Pacquiao’s career is keep that in mind
he has three losses mixed in his 53 fights. Two of those fights
knockouts. Margarito had four, three of those early, but did any of
those, show a weakness?
Pacquiao’s career became front page in 2003 with an 11th round TKO of
Marco Antonio Barrera, at 125lbs. His notoriety jumped ten fold when he
fought to a draw with Juan Manuel Marquez, who he had on the deck three
times in the first round.
In his twelfth fight February, 1996, in his homeland the Philippines,
Pacquiao suffered his first loss to Rustico, Torrecampo 14-8-5, 7 Ko’s.
The loss was by KO loss in a brawl in which both fighters were trading
shots and Torrecampo landed a heavy shot to the face of Pacquiao putting
him on the deck. Unable to beat the count Pacquiao was counted out at
1:32 of round three.
His second loss came in 1999, his 28th fight his last fight at 112lbs.
Coming in one pound heavy the “Pac Man” lost his WBC world flyweight
title to Thailand’s Medgoen “3-K Battery” Singsurat 18-0, 11 Ko’s by
third round KO. Pacquiao trailing 20-18 when Singsurat fighting in a
“Hatton style” stalked and backed “Pacman” to the ropes drilling him
with a vicious right hand to the body dropping him to the canvas where
he remained, prompting referee Jose Guadalupe Garcia to call the fight.
To watch [Link].
Pacquaio suffered his third loss to Mexican great Erik Morales by
unanimous decision 115-113 times three in his first fight at 130lbs. The
“Pac Man” put nine straight wins together after his loss to Morales only
to revenged the loss stopping Morales in ten then again in three
completing their infamous trilogy. The “PacMan” beat Barrera in a return
match then Oscar Larios by decision before fighting a tough return fight
with Juan Manuel Marquez where he won a tough close split decision after
dropping Marquez in the second round.
The Philippine star added Ko’s of Jorge Solis and David Diaz before
stopping the “Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya in eight at a career high
145lbs.
What Pacquiao will find meeting Hatton depends on which Ricky Hatton
shows up? Will it be Ricky the “Hitman” Hatton who beat Kosta Tszyu in a
brutal war in 2005 or the complacent Hatton who beat Juan Lazcano
recovering from his loss to Mayweather? My call is for true old fashion
war. The old Hatton shows up and the only question, will he have enough?
For the “Hitman” to have a chance he must keep Mayweather Sr. He also
must bring back Billy Graham and conditioning coach Kerry Hayes and make
it a true team effort. He must then do as “Sugar” Shane Mosley just did
against Antonio Margarito. He must follow a plan laid out before him by
fighters with some early success. Mosley studied Cotto’s achievements
with the “Tornado” but made some adjustments. One small adjustment made
was falling in rather than moving out into Margarito’s power range.
Hatton must follow this plan and use Hayes’s conditioning and use Graham
to reinstall that ferocious pressure attack and cutting off the ring and
pound to the body and fall in as Mosley did with Margarito. Then employ
Mayweather Sr. to instill the science work as Nazim Richardson did with
Mosley.
