Manny Pacquiao Versus Antonio Margarito: Speed Vs. Height, Reach

5:51 AM // 0 comments // Ian Purugganan // Category: Margarito , Pacquiao //

When world seven-division champion Manny Pacquiao battles three-time titlist Antonio Margarito on Saturday next week (Sunday in Manila), the Filipino ring icon could be giving up 10 or more pounds to the “Tijuana Tornado.”

That is if the reigning World Boxing Organization welterweight kingpin (51-3-2 win-loss-draw card) will have his way of maintaining his present 149-pound weight as compared to the expected from 155 to 160 pounds of the Mexican (38-6).

Not only that, the Mexican Antonio Margarito will be having a advantage in height, 5-foot-11 to the Filipino’s 5-foot-7 and in reach 73 inches to 67 inches – making the 12-round making it another “David and Goliath” showdown, which incidentally, Pacquiao is used to.

The two will be fighting for the vacant World Boxing Council super-welterweight crown, a category Margarito is more at home than Pacquiao.

The reason, according to the “Pacman” himself is to maintain his speed, which he added, is the main weapon he will be capitalizing on in his quest for an unprecedented eighth world diadem in as many weight divisions.

“I think will be enough so I can maintain my speed. As I have been saying, it’s still my quickness that will serve as my biggest advantage over Margarito in this fight,” Congressman Pacquiao told the Manila Times in Tagalog after his workout at the Wild Card Gym here Friday.

“I already tried to increase my weight to 150 or 152 while we’re in Baguio, pero bumagal ako. I couldn’t move like I used to. So when we arrived here, we just keep that 148 as much as possible,” he added.
“For me naman, as long as I maintain my quickness, ganun din ang bilis ng mga kamay ko. If I’m fast with my hands, I can throw volume of as many punches as I want to. The power on my punches naman are always there. No problem really,” he explained, admitting that he’s more of a legitimate lightweight or a junior-welterweight, divisions where he was a world champion, too.

Chief trainer Freddie Roach shared his ward’s observation, saying the heavier Margarito is comes fight time Nov. 13 (Nov. 14 in Manila) at the cavernous Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the slower he gets.

“Margarito has always been a slow-foot. He is naturally slow and I believe that no matter how they hype that he has improved on his movement, the reality is, he will be slower the more weight he gains,” Roach philosophized.

“Manny is correct, maintaining his present weight would be great. We won’t mind him (Margarita) getting heavier and heavier. That would be to his disadvantage than ours,” he continued.

“Is Manny struggling to make the required weight (catchweight 150-lbs)? “ Of course not,” Roach exclaimed. “It is them who should worry making 150 at weight-in.”

“Manny, on the other hand, will have no problem making the cacthweight and keep his speed and agility,” he said.

The heaviest Pacman has ever tipped the scale in his successful, rich 15-year pro-career was under 146-lb. when he fought Ghanian Joshua Clottey in March this year, also at Dallas Stadium.

To make Pacquiao as heavy as he can be, conditioning coach Alex Ariza has been feeding him five meals a day of 7,000 calories that includes protein shakes.

Margarito’s trainer Robert Garcia, for his part said his pupil, who is in deep training in Oxnard, also in California, doesn’t have any nutrient restrictions, adding that he can eat whatever he wants as long as they’re not high on fat.