Manny Pacquiao warms up with conditioning coach Alex Ariza in 2010
Hollywood actor Liam Neeson recently expressed his support for Philippine boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, rooting for him on his upcoming fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. However, the actor also thought it’s about time the “Pacman” retires. IN PHOTO: Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines warms up with conditioning coach Alex Ariza during a workout session in Grapevine, Texas, November 9, 2010. Pacquiao will face Antonio Margarito of Mexico in the World Super Welterweight Championship on Saturday. Reuters/Tim Sharp

With the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao fight signed, both parties are now moving on to studying their respective opponents. In a recent interview, Mayweather said that he’s the superior fighter between the two and he sees Pacquiao as a different fighter ever since Alex Ariza, Pacquiao’s previous strength and conditioning coach who moved to the American’s camp, left the team of the Filipino.

“I don’t feel that one fight defines my legacy. To me, it’s just another day. It’s just another fight. I mean, when you just look at the tale of the tape, I have longer reach, I’m taller, and I’m more accurate,” Mayweather said to boxingscene.com. “I think I’ve seen a major change in Pacquiao when Alex Ariza left his training camp. Which is a great thing Alex is working with me now. He’s a strength and conditioning coach and he’s a great guy.”


Mayweather’s opinion reflects in the Pacquiao fight results in recent years or since Ariza left the team. Pacquiao hasn’t knocked out an opponent in his last three fights with unanimous decision victories over Brandon Rios, Timothy Bradley and Chris Algieri. Even before that the Filipino has struggled to finish off his opponents, losing to Juan Manuel Marquez via a 6th round knockout in Dec. 2012 and a decision in the first fight against Bradley also in June 2012.

The last win by Pacquiao via technical knockout was against Miguel Cotto in Nov. 2009 when the Filipino beat the Puerto Rican in 12 rounds. After that TKO win, Pacquiao decisioned Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito, Shane Mosley and Marquez. Ariza was fired by Freddie Roach in 2013 as part of the team because of a fallout between the two boxing coaches. Ariza worked with Pacquiao and Roach from 2008 to 2013 before Mayweather hired him in 2014. Ariza has never kept his disdain of Roach. In November of 2013 days before the Pacquiao fight against Brandon Rios, who hired Ariza as his strength and conditioning coach, Ariza mocked Roach’s Parkinson’s Disease and also kicked Roach in the chest.

Even Roach said in a recent interview that Pacquiao has lost his “killer instinct” admitting that Pacquiao is not the same fighter and person as before.

Email j.gloria@IBTimes.com.au to contact author.

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