Is Manny Pacquiao Ready to Fight Antonio Margarito?

With seven world boxing titles under his belt, some people might think that Manny Pacquiao has done enough. 


Some would even say that he should rest on his laurels and be content with last year’s win via technical knockout against Miguel Cotto and this year’s successful bout against former IBF Welterweight World Champion Joshua Clottey.

For a fighter of his status (and barely the fight against five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr.) he could actually retire from the industry since boxing is no easy sport.

"But Manny Pacquiao is a hardworking Filipino who knows how to wear pain with pride, and who knows that one shouldn’t just remain idle. Boxing may be the most difficult (not to mention, the most painful) sport in the world, but it is exactly the challenges of this sport that Manny loves about boxing. Pain is just another way of reminding him of his successes and triumphs. Without it, what would a boxer be?"

It seems that Pacman isn’t one to sit back and rest on his laurels so it didn’t come as a surprise that, eight months to the day after his victory against Clottey, Manny Pacquiao has decided to enter the ring once more and take on former World Boxing Association Welterweight Champion, Mexican Antonio Margarito. The WBC Super Welterweight Championship title is vacant until November 13, 2010, at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Pacman's “never say die” attitude actually harks back to a very hard past even when he started his boxing career 17 years ago.

Born Emmanuel D. Pacquiao, the fourth among six siblings, Pacquiao lived a hard life in the rural areas of southern Philippines. Abandoned by his father, poverty prevented him from completing education beyond grade school. At 14, Pacquiao decided to leave home to ease the burdens of his mother, who had to take out a variety of small jobs just to feed six children.

Pacquiao’s passion for boxing surfaced when he arrived in Manila, when he would take part in not-so-legal boxing matches in the streets. He didn’t have the training back then, so it’s safe to say that the young boxer had to endure, the pain of being pummeled by his opponents and the fatigue that is unavoidable for a beginner. From there, Pacquiao would spend years, fighting it out and showing his strength and courage in the ring. It was only until 2001, by some strange twist of fate, that Pacquiao found himself in Las Vegas, winning the IBF super bantamweight title by technical knockout. It was also in Las Vegas where he met Freddie Roach…and the rest, as they say, is history.

*Quotes are based on a pre-buzz press release.

I think Pacquiao is ready to fight Margarito on November 13. He will face Antonio Margarito who is described as a rangy puncher and passionate brawler. At 5’11 and with a 73-inch reach, Margarito has a huge size advantage over the 5’6” Pacquiao.

On the other hand, Pacquiao wakes up at 6am to run, sprint, do core exercises, and ballistic training among others. Again, ready to show Filipinos all over the world that pain,

...more than just a physical sensory experience, should be carried with pride and worn with honor, determination and spirit.

The Pacquiao-Margarito fight that will be worth watching on November 14 (Philippine time), 2010.