Why Pacquiao lost

Many people asked why Pacquiao lost in his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez. There is one simple explanation--he's tired. Even before his losing fight with Timothy Bradley, many people have noticed that Pacquiao seemed to have lost strength. He's just 33 years old, but it is quite evident in his face--he's so tired.

I asked some people close to him and they all agreed with what I observed. Manny is not the old Manny we know--full of confidence, energy and strength of character. Right now, he's seemed to have mellowed dramatically that it now affects his performance in the ring.

Let me trade you a secret---trainers train their boxers to become killers. For you to become a very strong and very lethal fighter, you need to unleash your animal instincts. Studies show that fighters have increased testosterone levels. Its explainable since increased levels protect you from the devastating punches and increases your defensive instincts as well.

To achieve "fighting form", you need not just do physical training--but psychological preparations as well. Physical training is half the battle. As I said in previous entries, boxing is both a science and an art. Science comes in in that part of physical training. You need science to achieve peak or maximum physical form. You need to be physically strong to absorb the effects of strong punches. You need extra energy to survive every single round. You need speed to avoid punches and create openings for you to hit your opponent.

Power, strength and speed--those are the three basic combinations that a boxer should have to excel in this sport. These things can be achieved through rigorous physical training.

Now, executing strategy is the art in this sport. The artist in the boxer shows when he unleashes those punches. You need psychological preparation to do the art. You need a higher presence of mind for you to be able to know the strategy of your opponent and counter it. Without this, physical preparation comes to naught.

When Pacquiao ascended the ring, he went there probably physically prepared but mentally unprepared. He probably knew the strategy of his opponent Juan Manuel Marquez which is come out and fight.

Noticed how Marquez bulked up because he wanted nothing more than put more power in his punches. That was evident in the third round when Marquez unleashed a right which floored Pacquiao.

That should have been noticed by the corner---that Marquez had the power to knock Pacquiao out. Noticed Marquez's biceps--it was bigger than before. Marquez was in top physical conditioning and worse, Marquez was also psychologically prepared to knock Pacquiao out to achieve one single thing---glory.

Marquez had two things which Pacquiao did not have when they both ascended the ring---physical and psychological conditioning. Marquez had one goal---knock him out. In Pacquiao's mind, nothing. He just wanted to survive 12 rounds and earn a decision.

This explains why Pacquiao lost.

Pacquiao intimated his desire to fight again. Well, let me blunt---if Pacquiao ascends the ring with the same skills, the same practice and the same conditioning like this---he will definitely lose again.

However, if Pacquiao wants to regain old glory before retirement, and will focus on boxing than politics or religion, then, he will definitely regain it and become a champion.

As things stand now, with all these people around him, Pacquiao is a losing proposition.