Sure, he might be biased as he is Manny Pacquiao’s countryman. And yes, he may be biased as he is a veteran fighter himself, one who is trying his best to keep Father Time at bay. But the great Nonito Donaire is picking his fellow Filipino warrior Pac-Man to pull off the big upset later on this month and take the WBC welterweight title from the much younger Mario Barrios.
42 year old Donaire, who made a successful ring return of his own a couple of weeks back, this when he defeated Andres Campos to pick up the WBA interim bantamweight title, spoke with Fight Hype, and “The Filipino Flash” said Pacquiao will find a way to get the win on July 19.
Donaire says Pacquiao’s speed and IQ can still win fights
“Barrios is a tall guy and a tough guy but I’m going to give the benefit of the doubt because Pacquiao is a champion, the holder of the record of eight divisions, and he knows how to fight, how to win,” Donaire said. “So you always got to give it that opportunity for him to show up. Now whoever shows up in that ring whether it’s a desire to win or just try to be there, that’s the question that we have to see. But I believe [Pacquiao] has the ability to do something to win the fight against Barrios.”
Just what Manny will be able to do, what he will be able to find to win the fight will, in the opinion of Donaire, be speed and the use of feints. Pacquiao, at age 46 (to Barrios’s 30) still has fast hands as well as feet, and he may well be the quicker, speedier guy in the ring on the night despite his advanced age. Donaire says Manny will have to capitalise on this.
Donaire’s keys for Manny: “Use your speed, use your feint”
“I would say use your speed, use your feint,” Donaire said regarding the tactics he feels Pac-Man should adopt. “You don’t have to do all the crazy punches that you do. If you can go for it, go for it, but there’s a factor in his age that might be a detriment. But I believe if he feints, uses his in and out, he can make the fight very different that goes his way. If he shows up that way, 100 percent for him.”
One can envisage a fast, impressive start from Pacquiao in the Barrios fight, where he does use his speed and piles up the points, as he wins the rounds. But can Manny keep it going, or will the youth and aggression of Barrios begin to wear him down in the second half of the fight? That said, it will be interesting to see what happens if Manny is able to check Barrios’s chin.
What price a Pacquiao points win on the night? Donaire, like the rest of us (or most of us, some critics are dead against this fight even taking place), will be a fascinated observer on July 19, watching to see if “Mega-Manny” can pull this one off
