WHETHER it will be his last hurrah or not, Manny Pacquiao is amassing a legion of followers who have joined his daily running workouts whom he hopes will go all the way in inspiring him to victory over reigning American World Boxing Council welterweight champ Mario Barrios on July 19 (July 20 in Manila) at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
“Call it a pilgrim, a homage or a goodbye,” wrote revered American ring writer Lance Pugmire on the boxingscene.com website yesterday (Wednesday in Manila) of the swelling numbers running along with Pacman up the steep climb in LA’s Griffith Park.
“Champion fighters like Teofimo Lopez and Cris Cyborg, elite contenders including Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Emiliano Vargas, a herd of aspiring, young boxers who literally yearn to follow in his path, and the general public have congregated nearly every morning at the park’s base to cheer on or run with the record (world) eight-division champion and recent International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee,” Pugmire noted.
“There’s been a lot of people out there, a lot of runners,” Pacquiao was quoted as saying after his early morning run last Monday (Tuesday in Manila). “It means a lot. I appreciate it. I’m so thankful to God.”
Even Pugmire, whose writing career includes stints at the Los Angeles Times, The Athletic and USA Today, noted that the taller and younger Barrios, 30, who has a record of 29 wins, 18 by knockout, against two losses and one draw, seemed like a custom-made foe for Pacman’s fighting style.
“Barrios is a come-forward, nuts-and-bolts fighter. It’s believed that he is ideally suited for Pacquiao’s reliance on creative punching angles from a southpaw stance, with rapid footwork and fast, powerful hands required to complement the attack,” he reported.
For the ploy to work, the Pinoy ring icon needs to hurdle the Griffith Park hills consistently to not only build his stamina but also leg strength to go the full distance, if needed, against “El Azteca.”
“That’s what I’m thinking, footwork is the key,” said Pacquiao, 46, who will enter the ring from a four-year layoff and with a record of 62 wins (39 KOs), eight defeats and two draws.
“This (running) test, perhaps even more than the extra-long sparring sessions of recent weeks, will prove if he has the legs to produce 12 solid rounds of work at this advanced age,” the writer pointed out.
“A successful mission will see Pacquiao join George Foreman and Bernard Hopkins as the only men in boxing history to claim a world title after their 45th birthday,” the report said.
Unlike in the past when Pacman’s running workouts in his build-up to world title fights were done with a small group of followers, the present drills have become a huge public spectacle, the writer observed.
“What’s going on this time around is unique, an opportunity for anyone to drive over and park, to shout encouragement and – if they’re in shape – to join the pack,” the article said.
“Pacquiao needs that support and its daily injection of adrenaline to win the fight,” reported Pugmire, who chronicled most, if not all, of the Filipino prizefighter’s world championship fights in the land of Uncle Sam.
“Yeah, because it gives me more inspiration and encouragement beyond what I can give myself,” Pacquiao acknowledged.
“I’m doing well. The coaches are watching me and stopping me from overtraining when they need to,” he said. “I’m landing [punches] and I’m moving well. My punches are very hard and my combinations are doing very well right now because of my speed and my footwork.
“What my coaches want to see – they’re seeing it. And I feel that way also. I can still do all the moves to set up my power.”
Despite Pacman’s confidence, there was a hint of concern in the piece considering the challenger’s age and long layoff.
“There is a reason why Hopkins and Foreman comprise the very short list of fighters who’ve thrived in middle age. Their success stories are far outnumbered by the hard-to-watch beatdowns of aged champions like Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, among countless others,” it said.
The effervescent Pacman shrugged off those anxieties, saying: “First, I want to say thank you for your care. But I’m the one who knows my body, who feels like this and I can tell you I will bring surprises (on July 19).”
The reason for Pacquiao’s bravado, the report said, was “those words are rooted in what has transpired in the hills, in conquering his proving grounds.”
“I like being the underdog,” Pacquiao said. “What I’m trying to show is that even at [an older age], if you have discipline, you can still do it.”
The report concluded that “as the Griffith Park turnouts have shown, that’s something the masses can relate to.”
