Top contender cites Manny's courage

MANILA, Philippines - The fighter touted to be the country’s next world champion said yesterday it took a lot of guts for Manny Pacquiao to take on an opponent who was bigger and stronger but advised the ring icon not to risk another bout where he has a distinct weight disadvantage.

Drian Francisco, the WBA No. 1 superflyweight contender, cringed as he watched the start of a live satellite transmission featuring the WBC superwelterweight title match between Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito in the Solar TV studio in Antipolo. The fight was held at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and beamed to the Philippines early Sunday afternoon, Manila time. It was like a duel between David and Goliath.

The disparity in body weight was evident when the two fighters took off their shirts to begin the fisticuffs. Pacquiao weighed in at 144.6 pounds while Margarito tipped the scales at the catchweight limit of 150, four under the division cap of 154. Pacquiao later said he was outweighed by 17 pounds when the bell rang, confirming that the Mexican stepped onto the ring at 165 after rehydration.

The weight difference was reminiscent of the 2003 fight between Roy Jones Jr. and John Ruiz for the WBA heavyweight crown in Las Vegas. Jones was outweighed by 33 pounds but taught Ruiz a neat boxing lesson to score a unanimous 12-round decision.

Because Margarito was much heavier, he was able to absorb Pacquiao’s punches with less damage. A fighter who weighed anywhere close to Pacquiao would’ve easily gone down from the punishment that the Filipino dished out in the brutal 12-round war of attrition. Pacquiao settled for a win on points.

“The ability to absorb was key,” said Francisco’s manager Elmer Anuran. “It saved Margarito from a knockout. He was staggered a few times but was never in real danger of going down. His body was able to take the impact of Manny’s punches. His face was a different story because his skin broke up.”

In the fourth round, Pacquiao ripped open a cut under Margarito’s right eye. While the blood-letting was kept under control by Margarito’s cutman, it didn’t prevent a swelling the size of a golf ball on his right cheek. The lump eventually closed Margarito’s right eye to a slit.

Anuran suspected that the fighters wore 10-ounce gloves which are mandatory in Las Vegas for bouts from superwelterweight to heavyweight. But it was later confirmed that in Texas, the fighters are given the option of choosing eight or 10-ouncers. Pacquiao and Margarito agreed to use eight-ounce gloves.

Pacquiao likened surviving the fight against the bigger Margarito to passing through the eye of a needle. It was that kind of struggle.

“I don’t think Manny should fight anyone that big again,” said Francisco. “He should stay within the welterweight division. It’s too dangerous to fight bigger opponents.”

Francisco noted that Pacquiao appeared sluggish at the start but picked up his speed as the fight wore on.

“Manny was not in 100 percent condition,” said Francisco. “Margarito trained nine weeks straight while Manny trained seven with interruptions. My guess is Manny’s condition was up to 80 percent but it was still enough to go 12 rounds with Margarito.”

Francisco said the fight proved beyond doubt Pacquiao’s durability and fighting heart.

“Manny took a hard body shot in the sixth round and I’m sure he’ll feel that in the next two to four weeks,” said Francisco. “That’s the kind of punch that can take your breath away. Manny didn’t move too much in the first few rounds, probably testing Margarito to find out if he would try something different. Then, he began to move, side-to-side, backwards. He slowed down again in the sixth round when he got caught with the body punch. But he got his second wind and I thought he could’ve knocked out Margarito from the 10th round to the end. He took pity on Margarito. You don’t see that from an average fighter. When Manny saw Margarito had nothing left, he let him go.”

Because of Margarito’s length, Pacquiao hardly threw jabs and concentrated on dizzying power bombs darting in and out. It was as expected. Pacquiao delivered punches in bunches that flustered Margarito to keep him on the defensive.

Francisco noticed Pacquiao was particularly effective with the right cross – the punch that rocked Margarito in the 10th round. He also observed Pacquiao repeatedly moving away from Margarito’s right side to throw a left straight sliding out.

“You always see something new from Manny,” said Francisco. “As a boxer, I study Manny’s moves very carefully in every fight because I learn a lot from him. He’s always improving. Even if he’s already the best in the world, Manny never stops trying to be better.”

Francisco paid tribute to Margarito for refusing to quit. “He came to fight,” said Francisco. “But Manny was just too good, too smart. His hand-speed was too much for Margarito.”

Francisco, 27, is set to face WBA No. 3 contender Duangpetch Kokiet-Gym in a 12-round bout for the vacant WBA interim superflyweight title vacated by Nonito Donaire at the Bueng Kan School in Nong Khai, Thailand, on Nov. 30.