Pacquiao, Donaire, Melindo to go down their weights

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

MANNY “Pacman” Pacquiao’s chief trainer Freddie Roach said if Pacquiao fails to stop Chris Algieri in their WBO title clash on November 23, he will ask his ward to move down to the light welterweight (140 lbs.) division. Reason? Pacman, being a natural small welterweight slugger, has not been able to knockout all his opponents since 2010. Roach also believes that Pacquiao, who stands 5’61/2”, is too short for a natural welterweight fighter and is more effective at 140 pounds. He used to rule in that division. He flattened the former light welterweight king Englishman Ricky Hatton on May 2, 1999, and at 145 pounds he stopped the cocky Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto in the 12th round on the same year. That was his last knockout victory.

All of Pacquiao’s victories after Cotto were by decisions and was even floored for good by his archenemy Juan Manuel Marquez on their fourth and last fight. He also suffered a controversial split decision loss to Timothy Bradley last April in Las Vegas. Yes, I think he can easily make it back to 140 and even go back to 135 where most of his fights were won by knockouts. I believe it’s a very good strategy but if and when that happens, his much-awaited fight against Flyod Mayweather, Jr. will no longer happen, unless Mayweather, now a natural super welterweight (154 lbs) warrior will agree to fight him at a catchweight of 145 pounds. And that will be impossible. It will be a big risk for Mayweather. For sure he will feel drained and dehydrated like what happened to former world super welterweight champ Oscar de la Hoya when he was stopped by Pacquiao in his 145 pounds. But who knows, this might be also a ploy of the Pacquiao camp to lend pressure on Mayweather to fight him at 145.

A few days after Nonito Donaire Jr.’s devastating defeat against Nicholas Walters for the WBA featherweight (126 lbs) title clash, the 5’6” Flash Donaire declared that he’s moving back to super bantamweight (122 lbs) class or even to bantamweight (118 lbs). He realized that there’s a much better fighter in the featherweight, which is not his natural weight. Then there is former undefeated world’s number one contender Milan Melindo nicknamed “El Metodico” who will be fighting this time at 108 pounds (light flyweight) against world-rated Saul Juarez of Mexico on November 15 in Cebu City’s Waterfront Hotel. El Metodico very successful in this weight. He will be one of the undercards in the title clash between WBO light flyweight titlist Donnie “Ahas” Nietes and world fifth ranked challenger Carlos Velarde of Mexico. This is one of the reasons why I’m flying t to Cebu to watch the new encounters between Mexicans and Filipinos. This is my passion, and as expected I will be in a dilemma again, carrying Filipino and Mexican genes. But I love it. As usual I will stay neutral.

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Congratulations to Nanoy Duque as the new head of the coaching staff of the Lyceum Northwestern University Dukes replacing multi-titled Angel Gumarang who is now Assistant Athletic Director of LNU. But to my surprise, there is the rumor that Dukes assistant coach Gilmark Meneses is also moving out to mentor another college. I hope this is not true.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: And Jesus Christ said “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.” “But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. MATTHEW 5: 33-35

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