Good Guy, Bad Guy, Makes For Good Press

By Barbara Pinnella

I’m sure that many of you have noticed how frequently those who holler the loudest about being the best or guaranteeing their victories, fall by the wayside. In the business of boxing, confidence plays a huge part of the game, no doubt about it. But what we witnessed Saturday night in Las Vegas was a glaring reminder of just how important it is to put your money where your mouth is. It was the epitome of good guy, bad guy.

The camps of Manny Pacquiao, (THE NUMBER ONE POUND 4 POUND FIGHTER IN THE WORLD!) and Ricky Hatton were as opposite as the proverbial oil and water. In control of Hatton was Floyd Mayweather, Sr. “In control” might be the wrong choice of words for both Mayweather and his charge. Both are, for lack of a better expression at the moment, free spirits. Not that these characters are not good for boxing, I certainly believe they are. But the very out-going, rhyme making, and often dirt-throwing Floyd was on constant attack mode when it came to the opposition. He set the tone for his corner and Ricky, to a lesser extent perhaps, followed suit. In a loud and brash fashion, it was made evident to anyone who would listen how and why the other side would fall.

Cast your eyes to the other corner. Pacquiao and his longtime trainer Freddie Roach are almost mirror opposites. Low key and quiet, they studied the opposition, and with a composed confidence picked Hatton apart. If the fight had been won on noisy bragging rights, there would have been no doubt who walked off the victor. But it was evident as Ricky lay on the canvas for those several minutes that the power was in the gloves and not the lungs.

Even after the battle, when the decision for Hatton became not WHOM he might fight next, but whether or not TO fight again, Mayweather Sr. had to slam both Ricky and the Pacquiao camp. “He lost to my son and to lose to someone below that, it’s time to leave the ring,” he later said.

But we haven’t heard anything yet. Floyd Jr. has announced his return to the ring, and if anyone believes that this timing is a coincidence I have some swampland to sell you. His tune-up fight will happen on July 18th when he will face Juan Manuel Marquez. All this is in preparation to have a fight with Manny, to prove that Pacquiao is not the pound for pound champ. And if we thought that Sr. was boisterous, Jr. has learned his vocal lessons well from all members of the Mayweather family.

One thing is almost a certainty, however. When these two hit the ring, sparks will fly. This should be one hell of a fight, fueled in the month’s prior by what will absolutely be the diversity of the camps once again. The culmination of all the training will be confirmed when Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and his camp will meet Manny Pacquiao and his. I must say that I can’t wait for that to happen.


Be safe and God Bless,

Viva La Raza,

Barb.