A Guide To Defend Like PacMan
We all knew that Manny Pacquiao is an offensive juggernaut in the ring.
But as we marvel at his punching, perhaps unseen by most fans was his defense that was sharpened and honed by the great Freddie Roach, which still baffles the younger fans up to this day.
So how can you defend like Pacman? Here are some tips that you can learn from the fabled fighter.
Move your arms
Apart from having the most effective tool for punching, your arms are the best defensive weapons in a fistfight, in which you can train for it with a short sparring session at the gym. You are not just measuring your opponent from afar, you anticipate their next move as your whole arm protects you from the head down to the body.
Blocking is when you use your pair of arms in front of your face. Instead of your opponent getting you with a jab or a straight punch, it forces them to go for a hook which consumes more energy.
Parrying is a moving way to defend yourself. It is made by putting your arms forward to block your opponent’s shot and opening him up in the process.
What makes Pacquiao’s guard unhittable is his movement for most of the fight. He is not stationary when his hands are up, especially when you see it move when he predicts your next shot
Let the feet do the talking, too
The footwork is the base of everything Pacquiao does on the ring on both ends. Without these, you will definitely have a hard time hitting them while avoiding getting hit.
On the hours spent on ladder training at the gym, PacMan’s feet are a double-edged sword and a Rubik’s cube combined into one, causing problems for his opponents over the years. With his defensive objectives met first, it makes a perfectly-timed punch even sweeter.
As a southpaw, Pacquiao is causing problems for any orthodox fighter as he goes on either outside or inside to nail them with short and quick punches after putting them into the trap when he steps back on defense.
His evasion skills are also prevalent with his angling, which enabled him to move into a new position to attack when open.
Roll your head like a champ
When trapped at the ropes up against a taller and bigger fighter, Manny relies on his immeasurable upper body movement to get out of the jam with relative ease, setting him up for a counterpunch later on.
Classic examples of those were in his bouts with Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cottom where Pacman not only rolls and slips evasively but also gives them counterpunches that could stagger them.
Those rolls, slips, and rope-a-dopes began in the gym where several drills were used to improve muscle memory on defense.
To sum it up.
Manny Pacquiao’s defense is one of the underrated aspects of his boxing career. With the blinding speed in between that and his next attack, it made him one of the most menacing fighters the world has ever seen.
Recovery is a crucial part of 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 ‘𝐏𝐚𝐜-𝐌𝐚𝐧’ 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐚𝐨❜𝐬 training session. It is key to recovering faster, preventing soreness, and obtaining the full benefits of each boxing workout.
