Despite the fact that Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao is coming off two losses, most expect him to take care of Brandon "Bam Bam" Rios on Saturday. Pac-Man's track record of success suggests that he deserves the title of favorite, but it's unlikely that Rios is happy to simply step in the ring with a boxing legend.
Rios unquestionably wants to win the fight, and he may have the tools necessary to do it. Pacquiao is vulnerable right now, and no one knows for sure how he will respond. If Rios devises a solid game plan and executes it, he could very well send the Filipino star into retirement.
Here is a closer look at the main keys that Rios must follow if he intends to reign supreme in Macau, China come Saturday.
Counter-Punch Effectively
One thing that has given Pacquiao trouble over the years is solid counter-punching. That is the main reason why Juan Manuel Marquez has been such a tough adversary. Although Pac-Man owns a 2-1-1 career record against JMM, an argument can be made that Marquez deserved to win three of those fights, so Marquez's blueprint is one that any Pacquiao opponent should follow. Rios is a different type of fighter than Marquez, but you can't argue with success.
Pacquiao is such an aggressive and powerful fighter that he naturally leaves himself open at times. That was the case in Pacquiao vs. Marquez III, which is a fight that most believe Marquez should have won. Marquez didn't have as much overall success with those tactics in their fourth fight since Pacquiao was controlling the bout, but he came through when he needed to as he stung Pacquiao with a straight right for the knockout.
Nobody is expecting Rios to be Marquez in this fight, but playing off Pacquiao's free-wheeling style is a smart move. It's going to be very tough for Rios to stand in and brawl with a guy like Pacquiao, but he may be able to goad him into making some poor decisions. All it takes is one well-timed punch to stop Pacquiao, and Marquez certainly proved that a couple fights ago.
Don't Get Overzealous
One mistake that many of Pacquiao's opponents have made over the years is trying to match Pac-Man in terms of aggressiveness and punching power. There may not be a man on Earth who is capable of doing that, so it would be silly for Rios to even attempt it. Based on the way Rios has been talking leading up to the fight, he intends to knock out Pacquiao. He recently said as much to Elie Seckbach of EsNewsReporting.com.
Knocking out Pacquiao is a nice thought since it would put a big feather in Rios' cap, but winning the fight by any means necessary should be his main focus. He may feel as though Pac-Man is susceptible to getting knocked out after what happened against Marquez, but that seems like an outlier based on the way his entire career has played out. If Rios tries to adhere to Pacquiao's aggressive style, then it's hard to imagine him coming away with a win.
Rios has the size advantage over Pacquiao, so it's understandable why he might want to impose his will to some extent, but Rios isn't used to facing someone with the power of Pacquiao. He has been a light welterweight and lightweight for his entire career, and the jump up to welterweight is significant. Rios shouldn't back down and kowtow to Pac-Man by any means, but there is no need to come out firing wildly in order to prove a point.
Take It the Distance
Few fighters in boxing are better conditioned than Pacquiao, so going at it with him for 12 rounds is no easy task. That is especially true for Rios since he has completed a full, 12-round fight just twice. With that said, going the distance ensures that Rios will have a chance to win. The only way to guarantee a win is with a knockout, but Rios will leave himself open to be knocked out if he presses too hard, so that simply isn't an ideal option.
Pacquiao's fight against Timothy Bradley proved that the better fighter doesn't necessarily always win. Rios could conceivably get battered by Pac-Man throughout the fight and still come away with a victory. Would it be decisive? No. Would it be fair? No. Would it be honorable? No. Would it be a win over one of the greatest boxers of this generation? Yes, and that should be the only thing that matters from Rios' perspective.
Judging in boxing is either incompetent, corrupt or both, and there is no reason why Rios shouldn't try to take advantage of that. A win would do wonders for Rios' career, and he should take it any way he can get it. Provided Rios hangs in there and performs admirably, there is reason to believe that he can take out Pacquiao via a controversial decision.
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