Former two-weight champ Gerry Penalosa might be looked at as being at least somewhat biased in backing Manny Pacquiao to cause the sensation by defeating Mario Barrios in July, this because Penalosa is, like Pacquiao, a proud Filipino. But Penalosa, who is good friends with Pac-Man, says he thinks Manny will “take risks” in the Barrios fight and that his still-fast hands will see to it that he gets the KO win.
Plenty of people feel very strongly that Pacquiao is taking a big risk simply by taking this comeback fight at age 46, this after four years of inactivity, but Penalosa, who ruled as the WBC super-flyweight champion and later the WBO bantamweight champion, says the willingness he has to take risks will serve Manny well.
“If he hits Barrios, good night”—Penalosa backs KO shocker
“Manny will prepare for this and he will make sure he has the stamina to last for 12 rounds,” Penalosa said to GMA News. “If he hits Barrios, good night! Manny has power, the fight is for 12 rounds, he still has speed, and [the] gloves are small. What if Manny hits him first? [The] boxing is over. Manny is willing to take risks. He is worth watching because he doesn’t care as long as he hits his opponent. If he gets there first, then the fight might be over in one round.”
It would be stunning if Pacquiao came out blazing and, in a rolling back of the years, starched a slow-starting Barrios. And this may be Manny’s best chance—his only chance—of getting the win. One would think that the longer the fight goes, Pacquiao, at his age, will fade and that Barrios, the younger man by 16 years, will be able to come on strong.
Risk early or drown late—Pacquiao’s last puncher’s chance?
People are worried that Manny may take some real punishment if the July fight goes deep into the later rounds. But maybe Penalosa is right, and Pacquiao will look to take risks early so as to get home with a big punch? Pacquiao does still have power and quick hands, and he also has a puncher’s chance in this fight. Again, maybe a puncher’s chance is Manny’s only chance.
Meanwhile, another former champ, the great Roy Jones, is also giving Pacquiao a shot at winning the WBC welterweight title in July. “I give Manny a chance, you always gotta give him a chance,” Jones said to Prime Casino. “I’m backing him.”
