Pacquiao - Mayweather

by Anthony L. Cuaycong


Manny Pacquiao obviously doesn’t think much of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. After all, it took him a mere two hours to accede to the terms and conditions Top Rank honcho Bob Arum negotiated with Golden Boy Promotions chief Richard Schaefer for their upcoming welterweight bout. Never mind that the March 13, 2010 date for the set-to is a mere three months away, and never mind that he will be squaring off at 147 pounds, the heaviest in his career.

Not that Pacquiao doesn’t have reason to feel optimistic. On the contrary, his emphatic victory over Miguel Cotto last month for an unprecedented seventh belt in as many weight classes has had pundits tagging him as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the annals of the sport. And when juxtaposed with equally convincing performances against Ricky Hatton and Oscar De La Hoya, his latest outing underscores his unique capacity to bring his speed and power with him through his climb up the weight ladder.

Still, Pacquiao should be wary of treading the fine line between confidence and cockiness. As he readies himself for the biggest contest of his career, the last thing he should do is be goaded into mistakes by Mayweather’s obnoxious personality. He may have no love lost for the American, but he would do well to respect the latter’s punching power.

Under the circumstances, it’s no surprise that oddsmakers have tagged Pacquiao a slight underdog. The good news is that it eases the pressure on the People’s Champ, albeit just slightly. All the same, he doesn’t appear to be intimidated by his opponent or by the enormity of the task at hand; he evidently knows where he stands, and he should be all right for as long as he keeps his feet on the ground.

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