Manny Pacquiao: Brutal Training Regimen Will Hurt Pac-Man vs. Marquez

There is a strong belief among fans and boxing analysts that there is no fighter in the world that can defeat Manny Pacquiao. But there seems to be something different about his upcoming fight with Juan Manuel Marquez that is giving some people reservations about what will happen.

Part of the hesitation stems from the fact that these two fighters know each other so well. They have fought two times already, with the first ending in a draw and the second going to Pacquiao via split decision.

Their last fight was over three years ago, so Pacquiao and Marquez are not exactly the same boxers they were last time around.

Of course, another reason for the trepidation could come from the way that Pacquiao has been pushing himself in training for this fight.

Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times detailed Pacquiao’s workout regimen and how it might not be good for his mind or body.

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“Almost from the moment the fight was announced, there have been concerns about properly pacing Pacquiao, who didn't even wait for the introductory news conference in the Philippines to start running.

Pacquiao, 32, is telling those close to him he doesn't want this fight in the hands of the judges after his prior battles with Marquez resulted in a 2004 draw and a 2008 Pacquiao victory by split-decision. The decisive score was a one-point margin.

He wants the knockout, and Roach says, ‘That's what we're training him for.’

But there's danger in peaking too early, of working so hard in the first month-plus of training that the body inevitably fatigues in the final weeks before a fight.”

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The whole purpose of training is to peak—reach your top physical condition—on the day of the fight. This will ensure that your body is able to function as normally as possible over the course of a 36-minute bout.

Pacquiao’s desire for a finish, and to avoid controversy, is admirable. It will probably result in a more exciting spectacle, though it would be hard to envision a scenario in which this one is any worse than his last fight with Shane Mosley.

But if Pacquiao drives himself too hard in training for the fight, he is going to gas himself out early against Marquez.

It is not impossible to envision a scenario where Marquez wins, so Pacquiao doesn’t have to do anything to help him out.