Pacquiao - Margarito HBO 24/7: Episode 3

Pacquiao-Margarito 24/7: Episode 3: It Is What It Is?

The first two episodes of Pacquiao-Margarito 24/7 dealt with distractions in the Manny Pacquiao camp due to Pacquiao’s obligations to his politics and celebrity and Margarito’s quest for redemption.

In episode three the camera is zoomed out a bit and behind Margarito’s redemption bid we are shown in boxer Rashad Holloway what could be some of the lasting effects of Margarito’s hand-wraps scandal.

Holloway, who is currently working as a Pacquiao sparring partner training for his own fight on the undercard, was brought in to spar with Margarito in preparationfor his 2008 bout against Shane Mosley, a bout that would be known for Margarito being caught before the bout with an illegal substance, likened to plaster of paris, in his gloves. Holloway, in one sparring session preparing Margarito for Mosley was hit with a potentially career-ending punch to the right eye.

“I remember when I got hit,” Holloway said. “I can’t describe the feeling I felt but I remember that everything scrambled and I know something was wrong. I broke my orbital bone; the nerves and the muscles were damaged to the point that they were smashed.

Holloway, not sure if he would ever be able to fight again, then describes the feeling he had when information started coming out about Margarito’sillegal wraps. Holloway intimated that although he knew Margarito very well could have been using illegal hand-wraps in the sparring session that he (Holloway) wasn’t bitter or spiteful about it and also was not going to go around pointing fingers.

“It is what it is,” Holloway said.

As we are shown a close up of Holloway’s face, Antonio Margarito is voiced ominously over the shot.

“They can say what they want,” Margarito replied. “I have already had two years of it. My reply will always be the same. I don’t cheat and I’m going to prove it on November 13.”

Two things here.

Holloway seems honest in his recollection of the sparring incident. In the past Holloway has said that Margarito’s damaging punch “didn’t feel like a padded glove hit me. It was like a hard, solid impact. I felt like I had been hit with a bag of rocks.”

Holloway stated that “It is was it is” but he also seems to know what it wasn’t.

Secondly, Margarito’s claim that beating Pacquiao will somehow prove that he never cheated is akin to taking a test in high school with the student body watching you because you have been caught cheating in the past, claiming that this highly surveyed test will prove you never cheated on any test, never threw a stink bomb into the girls bathroom and never slipped a flask-full of whiskey in the prom punch bowl.

Basically, it is a ludicrous claim, and Margarito’s insistence that “my reply will always be the same” makes it seem that Margarito has hypnotized himself into believing that he never cheated.

HBO has shown in the first two installments of 24/7 a prideful Margarito ready to prove he is worthy of the sport he love, a family-oriented Margarito sharing time with loved ones and a funny Margarito who derides the hand-wraps incident as something farcical.

The Margarito shown in the third installment is a much different character. In the face of Rashad Holloway we see an Antonio Margarito who may have permanently ended or possibly derailed more than one career.

In the face of Holloway we see Miguel Cotto and Kermit Citron.

In the face of Holloway we see that maybe Margarito shouldn’t be given this chance. Maybe he is not deserving of redemption in the ring.

It is what it is?

Other Musings From 24/7:

– It seem Alex Ariza’s irritation from the last installment of 24/7 has boiled over. Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach is shown combative with Pacquiao prior to the fighter’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

“Jesus Christ, Why did I even say anything man, I should have stayed here and kept quiet,” the clearly perturbed Ariza said after complaining of the heat spurring a response from Pacquiao telling Ariza to use common sense and take his coat off.

Ariza is shown later in the episode pontificating on the condition of Pacquiao.

“I think he is about 80 percent,” Ariza said. “Am I confident that I did all that I was supposed to do, no I am not.”

– Freddie Roach seems to have regained all his confidence in Manny.

“I thought this was going to be a tough fight,” Roach said during a training session. “I don’t think so anymore.”

–Margarito’s camp is seen bringing in a bunch of southpaws to imitate Pacquiao and trainer Robert Garcia talks a bit about different strategies to use against a southpaw. The strategies are then thrown out the window when it is revealed Margarito’s focus in the fight will revolve around pressure and physical dominance.

With the lack of strategy, Margarito’s camp might consider substituting the Vaseline in the corner with liquid cement.

–Line of the episode easily goes to Freddie Roach: “He thinks he’s a tornado, the fucking real tornado is coming.”

Source: boxingdispatch.com

Antonio Margarito puts controversy behind him

If Antonio Margarito is the villain in Saturday's title fight against Manny Pacquiao, someone forgot to give the screenplay to boxing fans.

Fort Worth's Eric Reyna, 29, gathered with about 1,000 fans Sunday at La Gran Plaza Mall to listen as Margarito took questions and signed autographs in what morphed into more of a pep rally than a public appearance.

For fans such as Reyna and older brother Jose, a sports hero can do no wrong even if he does wrong. Such is the case of "The Tijuana Tornado," who was found to have plaster on his hand wraps before a 2009 fight with Shane Mosley. Margarito served a one-year suspension. Yet, Margarito was handpicked by promoter Bob Arum and Jerry Jones to help boost attendance for Saturday's bout at Cowboys Stadium and stands to make around $5 million.

Sports history is filled with athletes or coaches who've looked to take shortcuts, whether with performance-enhancing substances or other schemes, and the results have been mixed in how they recover from these scandals.

Certainly, Margarito appears to have recovered from the controversy.

The Reyna brothers buy into the notion that Margarito's former trainer, Javier Capetillo, could have doctored the gloves and wraps without Margarito's knowledge.

"I honestly try to ignore it because I don't want to look at him as a bad guy if he didn't know about the wraps," Eric Reyna said. "Either way, I liked him before. If he knew about it, I doubt he wrapped his hands like that all the time. Maybe he just did it for that fight if that is what happened.

"I don't want to look at him as the bad guy. I'm willing to give him a second chance and, hopefully, he wins or gives Pacquiao a good fight at least."

Based on the enthusiastic reaction Margarito received during two local public appearances Sunday, his fans aren't just standing beside him but are ready to hoist him upon their shoulders.

Margarito's fan base includes Milwaukee Brewers pitcher and Fort Worth product Yovani Gallardo, who presented Margarito with a customized Brewers jersey.

"[Fan support] means a lot; any professional athlete can tell you that," Gallardo said. "The fans are going to be behind you. They're going to support you and it means a lot."

The HBO series 24/7 has certainly painted Margarito as more than a shady figure, but as a mentor to young fighters and a devout family man.

Trainer Robert Garcia said the personal look at Margarito has won the boxer even more fans.

"I think it did [help his image]," Garcia said. "They see the way we do training camp. They see we have fun. They see we joke around. They see we train hard. They see things that Margarito is doing with the kids, the amateurs, and I think it's helped a lot."

While fans may have forgiven or believe Margarito's claims of innocence, Pacquiao trainer Freddy Roach isn't that trusting.

He said last week he will personally oversee the wrapping of Margarito's hands before the fight.

"It helps the fight in general because of the press and the notoriety of the fight," Roach said. "But it doesn't change the fight at all; it will be on the up-and-up. Both will be equal in hand wraps and that's the way it is."

Source: star-telegram.com

Team Pacquiao arrives in Dallas

Boxing - Seven-time world champion Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao (51-3-2) of the Philippines and his entourage landed at Love Field in Dallas, Texas late Monday evening.

PHOTOS: Pacquiao at Wild Card Gym

Team Pacquiao arrived on a chartered Boeing 757 and immediately proceeded to the Gaylord Texan Hotel in Grapevine, Texas. The hotel is owned by Jerry Jones, who also has ownership interests in the Dallas Cowboys as well as the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys team also stays at the hotel during home games.

The pound-for-pound king's chartered flight cost close to a hundred thousand dollars, and flew in over a hundred members of his entourage, family members, boxing trainers, Filipino lawmakers, and various friends.

The 'fighting congressman' from Sarangani province has a showdown with Antonio "Tijuana Tornado" Margarito (38-6) of Mexico on November 13 at Cowboys Stadium.

Source: Examiner.com

Pacquiao vows to land first blow

HOLLYWOOD—Almost perfect.

After going through five rounds of sparring Saturday (Sunday in Manila), Manny Pacquiao declared that he's "totally ready" to do battle with Antonio Margarito for the vacant World Boxing Council super welterweight crown on Nov. 13 at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

"I'm just perfecting my movements," said Pacquiao in Filipino. "I am polishing my moves, how to counter, my balance and timing."

"I need to be ready on whatever will happen on top of the ring. My style will depend on what he'll do early in the fight."
Pacquiao, of course, has an inkling of Margarito's battle plan.

"We all know that he's a body puncher so I need to harden up my mid-section," said Pacquiao, who does 2,160 sit-ups a day for that purpose.

"When he comes in, I'll meet him with upper cuts left and right," said Pacquiao, noting that the Mexican hits wide and therefore telegraphs his punches.

Asked if he'll beat Margarito to the punch, Pacquiao said. "He'd be hit first."

Pacquiao attributes his newfound zest and vigor during training and sparring with Rashad Holloway and David Rodela to his reduced weight of 147 to 148 pounds.

Pacquiao said trainer Freddie Roach's assessment about his superb condition was right on the dot.

"He (Roach) wouldn't lie that I'm ready when I'm not," said Pacquiao. "Or it will put him to shame."

Admitting that he was sluggish in the early part of training camp in Baguio City, Pacquiao said it was due to the excess weight.

"I was trying to gain weight and become larger because Margarito is bigger and taller," said Pacquiao. "But it didn't do any good because I couldn't move."

According to Pacquiao, he'll just maintain his weight at 147 and 148 till the end of training.

"As long as I'm fast, I'm okay."

Source: inquirer.net

Highlights from CBS 60 Minutes' feature on Manny Pacquiao

"We haven't done many stories on boxers, but there's good reason to do one now. Next Saturday there will be a fight in Dallas featuring a 31-year-old Filipino who is quite simply, the best boxer in the world today. His name is Manny Pacquiao and he's generating excitement not seen in the ring since Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard or Muhammad Ali. Incredibly, Manny or 'Pac Man' as he's called, holds world titles in seven weight divisions; from 105 pounds to 148- that's never been done before."

Those were the opening statements of distinguished and multi-awarded journalist Bob Simon of CBS' 60 Minutes in his segment featuring Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao. The feature, which lasted about 13 minutes, came after CBS correspondent Steve Kroft's interview with US President Barrack Obama who addressed the first 2 years of his term as president. In boxing lingo, you can say Obama was on Pacquiao's "undercard".

The feature wasn't just a tribute to Pacquiao's impact in the sport and his nation, it was also a win for boxing as it brought back memories from its golden ages when mainstream media cared about the sport.

Here are some other noteworthy and quotable quotes from the 60 Minutes feature on Pacquiao:

On Pacquiao's smiling ring entrances:

Simon - "I've never seen a fighter walk towards the ring smiling. Are you just doing that, is it a tactic, or are you really happy?"

Pacquiao - "That's just me; I'm always smiling."

On Pacquiao's ranking among the greats:

Simon - "Just how good is Manny Pacquiao?"

Arum - "I think Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter that I have ever seen."

**Simon narration: Bob Arum has promoted many of the world's great fighters including "The Greatest".

Arum - "I did 25 fights for Ali,"

Simon - "You're saying.. you're saying that Manny Pacquiao is a greater fighter than Muhammad Ali?"

Arum - "Yes he is, because Muhammad Ali was essentially a one-handed fighter. Manny Pacquiao really shocks these fighters, because he hits equally hard from the left side or the right side."


On Pacquiao using boxing as a means to get out of poverty:

**Simon narration: She (Manny's mom) wanted him to be a priest. He wanted to play basketball. But basketball didn't bring in bread, boxing did.

Simon - "How much?" (asking how much Pacquiao made when he started boxing)

Pacquiao - "100 pesos."

Simon - "100 pesos?"

Pacquiao - "Which is equivalent to 2 dollars."

Simon - "2 dollars to box?"

Pacquiao - "Yes" (laughing)

Simon - "And what are you making now?"

Pacquiao - (laughing) "Huh? Millions haha" (laughing)

On when trainer Freddie Roach realized Pacquiao was special:

Simon - "When did you realize that Manny was more than a really good boxer, that he was going to be a champion?"

Roach - "You know that first round really told me something." (Referring to the first time he did mitts with Manny)

Simon - "Already, the first round?"

Roach - "Because I never saw somebody with so much explosion on a punch. Bang! Bang! Bang! He was just like a gun firing off, and I never saw that all my life. And I've been with a lot of good fighters." (28 World Champions)

TRIVIA: Can you name the other 27 world champions Roach has handled? I'll give you a few: Mike Tyson, Gerry Penalosa, James Toney and Ana Julaton are some of them.

On Pacquiao's popularity in the Philippines:

Arum - There is nobody.. In the Philippines, nobody, who is not watching Manny Pacquiao fight and there must be blind Filipinos and they are listening.

In closing, Simon asked Pacquiao the money question:

Simon - "Who do you think is the greatest boxer ever?"

(pause)

Pacquiao - "Including me?"

Simon - "Including you..."

Pacquiao - "Of course me." (smiling)

Source: Examiner.com

So what else is new?: At least 50 lawmakers to watch Pacquiao fight in Texas

LOS ANGELES, CA (via Pera Padala) – A lot of seats will be vacant in the House of Representatives when Congress opens its session Monday.

The reason is at least more than 50 members of the Lower House are reportedly in the United States to watch the fight of their fellow lawmaker, seven-division champion Manny Pacquiao against Mexican three-time titlist Antonio Margarito Nov. 13 (Nov. 14 in Manila).

Pacquiao, the World Boxing Organization welterweight titleholder, and Margarito, known in the international boxing world as the “Tijuana Tornado,” dispute the World Boxing Council super-welterweight championship at the huge $1.2 million Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington,Texas.
Sources in Team Pacquiao, who requested anonymity revealed that the number of congressmen presently here in Los Angeles to join their colleague’s group bloated the entourage flying to Arlington Monday and forced Pacquiao to charter a bigger plane going to the site of the bout.

Members of Monday’s entourage, sources said, reached at least 200.

They said they are going on invitation of Pacquiao, who will undertake their plane and hotel expenses.

Members of the country’s rich and powerful as well as national and local government officials, cabinet members and entertainment personalities are also joining the trip.

House top officials disclosed that since Congress is not in session majority of its members have filed requests with the office of Speaker Sonny Belmonte to travel to different international destinations.
They, in fact, feared that Monday’s opening of session might be held without a quorum since most of those who requested travel authorities have yet to report in their offices.

Belmonte himself announced even before the close of the last session that he would watch the Pacquiao fight himself although it was not sure whether he proceeded with the trip.
At least seven members of media covering the House have also been raffled off to join the Texas exodus under the expense of Pacquiao, reports also said.

Lawmakers, including senators and members of the cabinet, their wives and children, have always been a permanent fixtures in all fights whether they be championship or title defenses.
In one of Pacquiao’s fights held in Las Vegas, Nevada, the world pound-for-pound king had reportedly spent more than $650,000.

Members of the Filipino community here, meanwhile, denounce the government officials and even members of the business community and entertainment for joining the trip which they said is proof of their lack of concern for their poor constituents, especially victims of the recent floods that hit Central and Northern Luzon.

Echoing the sentiment expressed by the Pamalakaya fisherfolks in the two regions calling for all government officials concerned instead channel their resources, whether coming from their own pocket or the government to the victims of those calamities.

Source: PhilBoxing.com