A quick look at the tale of the tape, prepared and released two months before the fight, will show the Mexican’s tremendous advantage in size over the reigning pound-for-pound champion.
But Pacquiao, as far as his handlers are concerned, has already gotten used to fighting bigger men since he demolished Oscar dela Hoya, who stands close to six feet, in December of 2008.
Then came Miguel Cotto, the wide-bodied Puerto Rican who was also an inch or two taller than the 5’6” 1/2 Pacquiao, and Joshua Clottey, also bigger than the 31-year-old Filipino.
Margarito, at 5’11” 1/2, will be the biggest opponent ever for Pacquiao, and should be in far better shape than Dela Hoya who could no longer pull the trigger when he took on Pacquiao in 2008.
Dela Hoya was favored to beat Pacquiao who turned the fight into the “mismatch of the century.”
Pacquiao, the smaller one, is once again the big favorite. Aside from the height difference, Margarito will also enjoy a huge six-inch advantage in reach (73 to 66) when they climb the ring in Texas on Nov. 13.
Margarito was nowhere to be found in Pacquiao’s radar screen just two years back, and even the newly elected congressman from Sarangani province felt then that he was too small for the former welterweight champion.
But Pacquiao said he’s now comfortable taking on Margarito.
Pacquiao has fought thrice as a welterweight but may have never climbed the ring heavier than 151 lb. The Margarito fight, for the vacant WBC super-welterweight (154) is set at a catchweight of 151 lb.
It gives Pacquiao a chance to win his eighth world title in eight different weight classes.
Yet, despite his disadvantage in size, Pacquiao has been listed as the heavy favorite. According to sportsbook.com, he’s at -525, meaning you need to place $525 just to win a hundred bucks.
Margarito, back from a suspension due to illegal hand wraps, is pegged at +325 or a high divident of $325 for every $100 on him.
Regular visitors of Pacland, which is Pacquiao’s official website, are one with the Vegas oddsmakers. Of the 3,218 votes in, 39.8 percent believe that the Margarito fight would turn out just like the Dela Hoya fight.
And 30.3 percent think it’s going to be like the one with Cotto, who was stopped inside the 12th and final round. There’s 11.3 percent thinking of the David Diaz fight, that didn’t last more than nine rounds, and 9.6 percent has Ricky Hatton in mind.
Pacquiao has yet to start his training for the bout with Margarito. Yesterday, he arrived from a weeklong pres tour in the United States, and found no time to rest before attending a House hearing.
Roach said he wants Pacquiao to train in Baguio City, but the Filipino superstar, as of yesterday, has no plans abandoning his duties as a congressman, saying he’d rather train in Manila in the morning, and be at the House of Representatives for its afternoon sessions
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