Much has been said about Manny Pacquiao’s age over the past few years, but judging by his performances you cannot fathom the reality of it.
Take away an unfathomable scorecard in Australia, and Pacquiao is undefeated in seven years. He hasn’t looked better in at least five.
Let’s be honest, Jeff Horn was gifted a hometown decision in what looks to be the dodgiest scorecard treble in some time. Horn was never been and still isn’t fit enough to lace Pacquiao’s boots.
Manny Pacquiao
If anything, the time in between has proven that – something Pacquiao also did on the night. Those officials, for some reason only known to themselves, didn’t see it.
Add to that a shocking judging effort in 2012 against Timothy Bradley and the ‘Pacman’ has only lost in a bonafide way to Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez in a decade and four.
Mayweather was always an uphill battle, especially when not one hundred percent. Whilst Marquez threw the punch of a lifetime.
Since then, the Mexican has consistently steered himself away from another meeting thereafter.
You’d have to go back to Erik Morales to find another to deservedly topple the eight-weight ruler.
Pacquaio seems to be as invincible as ever as the Filipino makes his way towards what looks a solid challenge against Keith Thurman.
Two years ago, Thurman would have been a huge favorite against a 38 year-old Pacquiao. It’s an amazing stat that two years later Pacquiao is considered to have more chance of winning due to Thurman’s lack of activity and injuries suffered in the interim.
A coaching update, offered by publicist Fred Sternberg, only pushes to back up the theory offered by bookmakers.
TRAINING
Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs), has two weeks of rigorous training at world-famous Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club, six weeks total, under his belt.
Manny is in full throttle for his challenge of undefeated WBA welterweight super champion Keith “One Time” Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), from Clearwater, Florida, which takes place in two weeks.
Daily morning runs of three to five miles with hundreds of fans trailing. Then followed up by one thousand sit-ups and assorted drills, afternoons at the gym, filled with 10 rounds of sparring, 10-12 rounds of mitts with Freddie and Buboy Fernandez. Plus endless rounds of heavy bag and speed bag work, are capped off with another 1,000 sit-ups.
Is this normal behavior for a 40-year-old man? Probably not, but no one ever accused Manny of being ordinary. He continues to be history in the making.
ROACH
“Manny is so unbelievably fast. He’s 40 years old. Pacquiao is moving around the ring with the same speed he had when he was just a seven-division world champion,” said Roach.
“Manny has Keith Thurman’s number. Thurman is slower than Heinz ketchup. Manny is going to beat him 57 ways on July 20. The fans know it. The sportsbooks know it.
“Manny has gone from underdog to a betting favorite. Manny is money for this fight. It’s going to be champagne and Lobster Thurmandor for us!”
