Manny Pacquiao vs Antonio Margarito

Manny Pacquiao is set to fight Antonio Margarito on November 13 at the Cowboys’ Stadium in Texas for the vacant WBC Light Middleweight Title. Pacquiao looks to covet a title in his 8th weight class, while Margarito is looking to redeem his reputation and sputtering boxing career coming off a loaded-gloves controversy and knockout loss to Shane Mosley.
Some boxing critics and fans believe that Margarito known as a relentless hard hitting bruiser will provide the test for Pacquiao that previous opponents were unable to. I might have been on that bandwagon too, if not for the following facts.

Pacquiao has been able to defy boxing logic. Mid way through his boxing career, the pint size thunder machine actually got stronger, faster and skillfully craftier. Most other boxers would have started to experience a decline in their performance.

Margarito dwarfs Pacquiao in size and height, which normally gives an adversary a definitive advantage; not so against Pacquiao. Pacquaio’s recent winning performances against Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto and Joshua Clottey have established him as a well documented effective giant killer.

Margarito was humiliated after it was discovered he had plaster inside his gloves when he fought Sugar Shane Mosley. To add insult to injury, Mosley, a 4:1 underdog, still knocked Margarito out in spite of the fact that Margarito cheated. Since losing to Mosley, Margarito’s only win in 2 + years is an unimpressive victory in Mexico, while Pacquiao has done nothing but win during the same time period in spectacular fashion.

Prediction:

A win for Margarito, a former welterweight titlist, would instantly vault him back to the top of the division and shed his bruised reputation. This notion should provide Margarito with ample motivation to perform well. However, I don’t think that Margarito will be able to get it together enough to beat Pacquiao. Margarito will probably mark-up Pacquiao. But in the end Pacquiao’s speed and skills will cause Margarito to succumb by a technical knockout in the 10th or 11th round. Margarito’s stormy past and long layoff will prevent him from disrupting Pacman’s winning streak. The only fighter in the sport of boxing capable of defeating the pound-for-pound best boxer is Floyd Mayweather Jr.