Manny Pacquiao faces Brandon Rios in China on Saturday, and anything less than a knockout victory would be a severe blow to Pacman's future in boxing. Pacquiao has not looked strong in the ring since Nov. 2010 when he dismantled the bigger and stronger Antonio Margarito. The last time Pacman fought, which was in Dec. 2012, he ended up face down on the canvas thanks to Juan Manuel Marquez and looked like he was doing a dead man's float in a swimming pool.
Pacquiao has now gone six consecutive fights without a knockout win, doubling the longest stretch of his career which came over his first three fights as a pro in 1995. Despite his protracted struggles recently, Pacman is a heavy favorite to beat Rios, with Bovada listing his odds for victory at minus-500.
He must use his speed and savvy to dismantle Rios and prove that he's got plenty left in the tank. If his skills really have diminished and he struggles with Rios, retirement should be the next step.
As Pacman's legendary trainer Freddie Roach told BoxingScene.com about the fight:
"If it does not go well, we will seriously talk about his retirement and possibly going to politics. It's really hard to say until we see the fight, but I will be the first one to tell him to retire, and we have an agreement that as soon as I tell him that, he will retire."
It's somewhat of a stunning revelation, and though Roach did qualify the statement by saying it's "hard to say until we see the fight," it's a distinct possibility that Pacquiao will be fighting for his career against Rios. Roach also stated that he does not see his fighter "slipping in the ring at all," but the proof is in the punches, and Pacman will need a decisive knockout to prove he's still got the stuff to reign in the ring once more.
Pacquiao's last three fights have ended with a win by decision, a loss by decision and then a stunning knockout in his fourth meeting with Marquez. The match before those three was a sloppy win by unanimous decision over 39-year-old "Sugar" Shane Mosley in May of 2011. You have to go back over four years to May of 2009 to find his last KO, which came against Ricky Hatton for the light welterweight title.
It's important to remember that not only is this a huge fight for Pacquiao to demonstrate he's still got what it takes, it's a potentially career-making fight for Rios. The 27-year-old from Lubbock, Texas comes into the fight motivated by the lack of regard he has received, and he has the advantage of being something of an afterthought as a prospective punching bag for a storied champion.
As Rios put it, "They're treating me like I'm some sort of joke and that I'm just showing up to be the victim for Manny Pacquiao. I'm nobody's tune-up fight and they're going to find that out soon enough" (via Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports).
Rios is correct that he should not be taken lightly. He was an alternate in the featherweight class for the 2004 Olympics at the tender age of 18. He boasts a career 31-1-1 record but is coming off of his first defeat as a pro courtesy of Mike Alvarado. A victory over Pacquiao—or even a strong showing against the man who has held titles in eight different weight classes—would be a lucrative shot in the arm for Rios' career.
Rios is known as "Bam Bam" which should tell you he's a hard hitter, so he could win the fight on one punch if Pacman steps into a right hand as he did against Marquez. However, Rios moves his head so little you might think he had no neck. Pacquiao's quick hands will reign blows upon the Texan if Rios can't manage to outpunch him.
The two fighters are polar opposites in many ways, from stature to demeanor. Pacquiao is an elected official beloved throughout his native Philippines. Rios is known for dropping curse words in front of his children on the HBO series 24/7.
Rios' camp recently revealed their classless true colors by mocking Freddie Roach's Parkinson's disease. Then strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza inexplicably kicked Roach in the chest, which was caught on camera. While Pacquiao will not be allowed to kick Rios in the chest on Saturday, he will surely be looking to take revenge for that shameful aggression toward his trainer.
Pacman will also be fighting Rios with a heavy heart, as he has dedicated the fight to all those in his home country affected by Typhoon Haiyan. As Pacquiao stated: "I really want to visit the area and personally do what I can to help our countrymen who have suffered so much in this terrible tragedy. But I'm in deep training for a crucial fight so I regret I cannot go." (per John Pye of the Associated Press, via Yahoo! Sports).
Pacquiao is set to visit some of the affected areas after the fight, and he would love to give his countrymen a victory over Rios to help lift their spirits as well as his. But the tragedy also brings into focus the fighter's other career, which could very well lure him away from the ring for good if he struggles against Rios.
In May of 2010, Pacquiao soundly defeated Roy Chiongbian for the congressional seat in the Sarangani province of the Philippines. The Chiongbian family had represented the district for decades, but Pacman's profile vaulted him to political success.
Considering his agreement with Roach to retire if he struggles, Pacquiao will be motivated to show the boxing world he is still a top-flight boxer. There is no better way to do that than with a knockout of Rios for an emphatic endorsement of his potent punching. Anything less could very well see him step out of the ring for good and ease into the slightly less combative world of Filipino politics.
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