Pacquiao vs. Marquez 3: Is Weight Fluctuation Starting to Slow Pacquiao?

Part of what has made Pacquiao great and noteworthy may be the reason he has begun to slow at only 32 years old. Pacquiao has stretched and bulked up a 5'6" frame that was really never meant to be over 135 pounds.

He is indeed a freak; whether that has something to do with a combination of genetics and hard work, or something else as has been speculated, he has moved up and down with success.

Not since Henry Armstrong have we seen a man move between weight classes so effectively. Now into his mid 30's, even Pac-Man is showing the effects.

He is still in great shape as you could plainly see in Saturday night's bout. But a fighter's fall-off is often a gradual one. There is a physical and mental toll taken on prizefighters and that is compounded by the weight fluctuation.

The speed is still apparent, but it wasn't significant enough to overwhelm Marquez. The power seems to be there, yet he hasn't KO'd a fighter in over two years, when he TKO'd Miguel Cotto. That is a span of five fights.

Pacquiao's greatness is predicated on speed, pressure and power. If his two biggest qualities are beginning to waiver, it will expose one of his few flaws. That is the fact that he has never been difficult to hit. He doesn't keep his hands high. When he has to be aware of the offense of an opponent, especially one that is a counter-puncher, it slows Manny's offense to a crawl.

The weight movement has caught up to Pacquiao. It seems he is being cut by the other end of the double edged sword.