The Sweet Science 01.17.10: Pacquiao-Mosley, Strength and Conditioning

Posted by Igor Frank on 01.17.2011

411's Igor Frank returns with a fan discussion on the importance of Pacquiao's upcoming clash with Shane Mosley, the disappointment of Mayweather-Pacquiao not happening and a look at the latest trends in strength and conditioning!


Many fans disapprove of Mosley for Pacquiao's next opponent

"Mosley! Are you kidding me?" exclaimed Rico as we sat down for our monthly lunch at Porto's; the always crowded Cuban bakery on Brand Boulevard in Glendale, California. "What happened to Mayweather? Are they ever going to fight?"

An avid fan of sweet science and a good friend of mine Rico, along with the rest of the world have been waiting for a Superbowl of boxing to take place, a showdown between two best fighters on the planet Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. Unfortunately I had no good news for Rico on that subject. In contrast to NFL's Superbowl that is scheduled every year, boxing's blockbuster event only happens when all the stars are magically aligned. And considering continuing animosity between promoters and legal issues of Floyd Mayweather Jr., I have a hard time envisioning Mayweather-Pacquiao taking place any time soon.

In rare form, biting half of a fried meat and potato ball Rico continued his assault. "How old is Mosley anyways? He should have retired right after he beat Oscar, the second time, which by the way he didn't."

"He almost knocked out Mayweather earlier this year," I said coming to the rescue of the 39-year old future Hall of Famer from Pomona, Calif.

"But what did he do after the second round?" inquired Rico with a devilish smile. "That's right, absolutely nothing."

According to Pacquiao's trusted promoter Bob Arum, Sugar Shane Mosley is the best possible big name opponent in absence of Mayweather. Manny Pacquiao and Sugar Shane Mosley will square off in the ring on May 7th at the Mecca of Boxing - the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The WBO welterweight crown will be on the line when these two battle it out.

"Give Sugar a break," cut in Big Steve, who helps out training amateurs at Burbank Boxing Club. "Remember what he did to Margarito last year. Pacman couldn't knock him out. Plus Mosley needs a paycheck to settle up his bone breaking divorce."

"He won't be able to cash that check," countered Rico while attacking his Cuban sandwich. "He is going to need all the money to cover his medical bills."

According to Las Vegas bookmakers, best pound for pound fighter Manny Pacquiao is eight to one favorite to defeat Shane Mosley. In other words, Mosley's victory would be considered a major upset, upset of the year, perhaps an upset of the decade. Is this the kind of competitive fight fans want to see? HBO televising this event live via Pay per View is banking that it will be one of the major boxing events of 2011.

"Give the old man a break," continued Big Steve. "He is always in the gym, always in shape and he knows how to fight. This fight might be a lot closer than you think." In a recent interview conducted by a fellow Examiner from Las Vegas, Chris Robinson, and Mosley's chief trainer Naazim Richardson, the boxing guru promised that Shane will smash Pacquiao and let Mayweather off the hook.

"If Manny wants to go on a senior circuit he should fight Marquez," countered Rico:" They have unfinished business and it would be great for them to finish it on Cinco de Mayo weekend."

Juan Manuel Marquez could not agree with that more. In fact as soon as he scored a spectacular knock out over Michael Katsidis in Las Vegas, he said that he deserves a third fight with Pacquiao. Would fans get to see it? According to Pacman's chief trainer Freddie Roach Marquez is next.

Strength and Conditioning

I have asked a veteran of sweet science what he thought about a new trend of boxers hiring strength and conditioning coaches and nutritionists to help them to get ready for a fight. "I am old school," said Tony Rivera who has been in the corner of such ring greats as Roberto Duran and recently, Marco Antonio Barrera:" To me it's just a trainer and a fighter. It works best that way."

However watching a light welterweight showdown between Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana last week I could not help but to admire an incredible level of fitness and conditioning both pugilists has displayed in the ring that memorable Saturday night in Las Vegas. And when I asked Maidana's coach how he was able to survive a liver shot knock down in the first round, veteran Miguel Diaz said: "That's a good question for a conditioning man, Penza. He got him ready. The conditioning and his heart are the ones to put him back in the fight."

Amir Khan surprised most ringside observers that night as well; when he got hurt by a huge overhand right early in the tenth stanza and despite being almost out on his feet and being bombed by a relentless Maidana survived the remainder of the round and made a good account of himself by the end of the fight. Immediately following the bout British champion praised his strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza. "There were times in the fight I got caught," said Khan:" And I took it. I want to thank my trainer Freddie and Alex Ariza for all the conditioning and hard work they put me through."

Among these glowing endorsements we have very respected boxing people that believe that strength and conditioning is nothing more than a gimmick.

"Ha, strength and conditioning is for ballet dancers, not for boxers," exclaimed Roger Mayweather when I saw him several months ago in Los Angeles. Roger's most famed charge Floyd Mayweather Jr. is well known for his superb conditioning and his ability to finish fights strong.

I asked the newest strength and conditioning coach at the Wildcard Boxing Club, Michael Vale, who is currently working with an unbeaten middleweight Kid Chocolate and rising cruiserweight Lateef Kayode, how he combats preconceived notions about his work?

"Half the time I don't even try," said Vale who has been training fighters at the Wildcard Boxing Club in Hollywood for the past five month:"The proof is in the results. Alex's work with Amir is a testament to strength and conditioning."

However the most obvious credit to the work of strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza is a current pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao, who has stunned the boxing world in recent years moving up weight divisions destroying opponent after opponent without loosing his speed or power.

"Alex is amazing," confirmed unbeaten light middleweight prospect Vanes Martirosyan, who owns a Main Events Sports Club in Glendale, but uses Ariza for his strength and conditioning training: "He takes a fighter and makes him into a machine. He knows our bodies very well. He knows what to give us and what we are missing and he makes us stronger like that."

So, what exactly does the strength and conditioning coach does with the fighter? What is the ultimate goal?

"The most essential part is being in condition to do what Freddie wants them to do in the ring," said Michael Vale when I interviewed him last week outside of famous Wildcard Boxing Club:" And that's what I focus on. I try to break it into different components; speed, strength, agility, mobility, flexibility. I‘ll meet with an athlete and ask what they have been doing before they met me and then I will sit down with them and try to establish some protocols. It's the program that's quite extensive, but most athletes I have been working with for about five month have really seen the benefits."

Some of the methods that Vale described to me included extensive work in the pool, running up and down Santa Monica stairs and doing strength and agility work in the gym.

Veteran coach Clemente Medina, who trains amateur boxing stars at the PAL gym in Glendale, expressed a high praise for another well known strength and conditioning Coach Darrell Hudson, who prepared rising light middleweight contender Alfredo Angulo for his last fight.

"It's like night and day," said Medina describing Hudson's contributions to the training camp:" Perro is too strong for anybody right now." Angulo proved his coaches right by stopping former champion Alcine in the very first round.

Still pessimism and doubts about strength and conditioning continue to surface. Fifteen years ago when I started running marathons the latest trend was to fill up with carbohydrates or to eat pasta the night before the race. However the recent trend suggests that eating pasta prior to the race will slow you down and that it is best to eat proteins and vegetables for strength and stamina. Similar question lingers with respect to strength and conditioning. Is it the latest fad or is it here to stay?

"The proof is in the performance," concluded Michael Vale.

What do you think?