In the lead-up to Manny Pacquiao’s fight against Antonio Margarito on Nov. 14, Fire Quinito will feature Sparring Sessions, a series of interviews with pundits, bloggers, and boxing fans that discuss issues that affect Pacquiao, Filipino boxing, and combat sports in general, veering into topics that mainstream media rarely talk about. In the first session, Filipino-American boxing examiner Dennis ‘D Source’ Guillermo talks about why Pacquiao won’t be going away any time soon, problems with some Pinoy boxing fans, training for Filipino boxing prospects, and Batista’s chances in MMA fighting.



Fire Quinito: While there are a lot of murmurs about Pacquiao’s impending retirement – even Freddie Roach has acknowledged them – you remain convinced that Manny won’t be letting go of boxing that easily. Does that mean that he’d be in danger of fighting one too many fights, like a lot of other greats before him?

Dennis ‘D Source’ Guillermo: Great boxers historically have had a hard time walking away from the sport. From current greats such as Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones Jr., Bernard Hopkins, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales to legends like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Larry Holmes , you can go through a long list, calling it quits for these elite fighters is easier said than done.

Like I wrote in my column recently, the money and the prestige are very good reasons to keep on fighting, but I really believe it's the adulation and the spotlight that these performers miss the most. look at Michael Jordan. They can flirt with other ventures and get success there, but to just abandon something you have been doing pretty much your entire life when you know you can still perform, is probably the toughest challenge any elite fighter will have to take on. Not to mention all those people that will ask you for one more fight.

I think right now, Pacquiao is engrossed with his new political career and may be taking his boxing career a little bit for granted, but boxing will always be in his heart. Unless he finds a really worthwhile diversion that keeps him in the sport, like maybe helping the Philippine Boxing Team, I believe he'll fight at least 3 more fights. He might take a break or turn into a one-fight-a-year-boxer, but I don't believe the Margarito fight will be his last. Will he overstay and fight until he's 40 like these other guys? Probably not, but he is not going to retire permanently any time soon. And if he is to go, it will be an elaborate farewell fight. You know that's the only way for Manny to go.

FQ: You wrote a very controversial column about the terrible attitude of a certain sector of boxing fans, who think, as you put it, “every other Filipino boxer not named Manny Pacquiao are bums.” Will that attitude ever change? What would it take to change it?

DG: Truth is, I don't think it will change any time soon. At least not while Pacquiao is still fighting. Pacquiao has spoiled his fans with his legendary career, and as unfair as it is, he is simply a tough act to follow. It's like performing in front of an exclusive all-girls middle school right after Justin Bieber's set. Good luck with that. Any and every Filipino fighter coming up will have himself compared to Pacquiao at some point. And when he fails, the peanut gallery will come out and start the bum chants. It's disgusting really, and honestly it's just a small group of Internet trolls that promote this behavior. Fighters should be supported if Philippine boxing is to continue progressing.

FQ: ALA promotions is making a lot of noise about pushing for global recognition for its stable, and among the things they’re looking at are new, advanced training techniques. How much work do local Philippine promotions still have to do to catch up with word-class standards?

DG: ALA is doing the right thing by hiring a strength and conditioning coach, but a lot still needs to be done collectively to improve the quality of our boxing training. Even Pacquiao lacked skill and had so many fundamental flaws when he burst into US consciousness. He was simply a phenomenal athlete and fighter for him to overcome those flaws. It wasn't until a while being with Freddie Roach when Pacquiao displayed improvements. It would be nice if we can send some of our real trainers to study and learn different training methods and fighting styles, but at the end of the day though, the talent has to be there. Look at Nonito Donaire Jr. and his brother Glen. They were both trained by their dad. One is ranked #4 by Ring Magazine in their top P4P list, the other was forgotten before anybody even had a chance to remember.

FQ: Speaking of Filipinos making a lot of noise globally, former WWE champion Dave Batista is now training to make his debut in mixed martial arts. Batista was never thought to be as athletically gifted as former UFC champion Brock Lesnar. Can he actually pull this off?

DG: I will have to see how Batista fights, but if I would go by common sense, the guy is 41. It's too late in the game for him to be starting a career in MMA with little background. He will create a buzz and Strikeforce can match him up with beatable opponents, but he would get killed by any elite heavyweight in the UFC.

FQ: What’s going to happen in the Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito fight?

DG: Manny will simply be too fast for Margarito. Margarito has a puncher's chance of winning but if Manny fights the way he is supposed to, which is to go in and out, counter and run circles around the deliberate and flat-footed Mexican, and if he's in good enough shape, I see him winning by UD or a late stoppage.

You can check out Dennis' articles at Examiner.com. You can also follow him @itsDSourceBaby on Twitter and on Facebook.