Pacquiao outshines Margarito in preview
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 10 Nov 2010
GRAPEVINE, Texas (Via Pera Padala) ? A jam packed Gaylord Hotel gym crowd watched Mexican Antonio Margarito show his wares during a press- public preview Tuesday (Tuesday in Manila) of his World Boxing Council super-welterweight championship bout with Filipino Manny Pacquiao this coming Saturday.
An hour later, it was the seven-division champion Pacquiao who wowed the overflow throng in the same sweat shop in what served as gauge as to where boxing fans? sentiment would go comes fight night at the cavernous $1.2 million Dallas Cowboys Stadium.
The three-time kingpin Margarito?s session ended for only a little more than an hour confined mostly on working the mitts with trainer Robert Garcia and skipping rope in between before the predominantly pro-Mexican crowd.
Pacquiao?s session was one and-a-half hours longer though as he skipped ropes, did limbering under the supervision of conditioning coach Alex Ariza, smashed the pan for eight rounds with trainer Freddie Roach and, again stretching exercises before a mixture of hauling Filipino and Mexican fans.
Pacquiao, as expected, was more impressive in displaying his footwork, speedy hands and in throwing power punches or, in totality his agility and aggressiveness he intends to use against the slow-foot ?Tijuana Tornado.?
Among those in the gallery, whom he impressed were up-and-coming Roach students Julio Cezar Chavez, Amir Khan, former two-time world champion Gerry Penalosa,1996 Atlanta Olympics silver medalist Mansueto ?Onyok? Velasco and former Asian amateur boxing kingpin Rey Fortaleza, who is covering the fight for his own Philippine Showbiz Today Magazine and for a television network he also own in Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada.
Also in the crowd were former Manila Congressman Miles Roces and 1977 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Johnny Elorde, son of the late Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde, and wife Liza whose grandson Juan Martin Elorde is fighting in one of the undercards.
And, if Roach is to be believed, Pacquiao, a father of four (two boys And two girls) with wife Jinkee, did not even exert his full potential.
?He was not even half of his capacity. He only came to please the crowd,? Roach told this reporter later.
?Manny?s faster, no doubt about that. He can easily evade attacks from everywhere, moving here and there in quick fashion. His punches packed power,? Roach observed.
?It (the fight) could be easy, I tell you. Easier than what you think. You?ll be surprised,? the four-time trainer of the year said.
Margarito, Roach noted, was too slow in his stint earlier.
?He cut short his session because he was afraid he himself could expose his liability,? he assessed. ?I think he?s still overweight, so he would rather spend more timed shading weight than show his wares in preview??
?I think he was trying to make the weight for Friday?s weigh-in,? Roach added.
Earlier in the day, Pacquiao ran for 20 minutes at a nearby track and field oval. according to Roach.
He also did eight minutes in sprint and was asking for more on the road, but Roach said Pacquiao asked for more.
?I told him to take it easy because we are only trying to maintain his present physical condition,? he said.
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