Pacquiao: From underdog to top dog

Filipino WBO International super flyweight champ Manny Pacquiao has come a long way since Nov. 15, 2003, when he first tangled with Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera. Back then he was the 4-1 underdog, as far as the betting crowd was concerned. On October 6 in Las Vegas (October 7 in Manila), he's the favorite. The Top Dog. But Pacquiao thinks he and Barrera have essentially retained their individual fighting styles. Unfortunately, that includes, on the part of Barrera, 'dirty tricks.' In an article posted in the online version of the Las Vegas Sun, Jeff Haney listed some interesting points about the rematch. In his article, titled "Take five: Manny Pacquiao vs. Marco Antonio Barrera, 'Will to Win'," Haney had this to say about Barrera: "In perhaps the most memorable moment of his most recent fight – a loss to Juan Manuel Marquez at Mandalay Bay in March – Barrera wound up and delivered a right hand to Marquez's head as Marquez was kneeling on the canvas. Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, hasn't forgotten the blow, for which Barrera was penalized a point." And Haney quoted Roach as saying: "He's gonna get dirty with us. He'll try to frustrate Manny by getting physical with him, but we're ready for that. I think (Barrera) will try counterpunching, and when that doesn't work he's going to have to fight Manny. And that's going to be the end." As a precaution, Roach said he had taught Pacquiao a counter weapon against dirty tricks. "We have prepared for the best in Barrera and we have devised a new weapon to add to Manny's already extensive arsenal – The Marco Bolo," Roach said in a report by www.eastsideboxing.com. But Roach did not elaborate on what that means. Pacquiao, as usual, refuses to make a prediction about the fight. But all he would say, according to Haney in the Sun article was this: "The difference is, I was an underdog then and I'm the favorite now. But the styles are still the same. Barrera is a good boxer and he still has power. He wants to show the people he can still be champion." - GMANews.TV