Big time boxing returned to network television as CBS's four-episode Fight Camp 360 show raised the curtains on their coverage of Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley's journey leading up to their highly anticipated May 7 bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The 30-minute pilot episode titled "The Hype" showcased various scenes from the first few weeks of both fighter's camps including their 4-city press tour that kicked off at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles and continued on to Las Vegas, New York and culminated with a visit to The White House in Washington D.C. where Pacquiao met US President Barrack Obama.
Welcome to Manny's World
The episode opened with a montage of sights, scenes and sounds from Baguio City, Philippines where the 8-division world champion Pacquiao began his training camp as Jimmy Reeves' classic Country song "Welcome to my World" played in the background. Here, cameras caught glimpses of the rockstar-esque following Pacquiao gets everywhere he is in the Philippines. Fans mobbed him at a mall as the fighting Congressman posed for photos and flashed his signature smile and warm personality.
The same is seen when the coverage continued on to their US press tour where they were blitzed by media and fans. While trying to cross the street to The White House, a car accident occurred in front of Pacquiao and his entourage. According to Pacquiao's advisor Michael Koncz, the driver was trying to take photos of the pound-for-pound king.
Also noted together with Pacquiao's rockstar lifestyle was his rockstar-esque tardiness, which later on led his trainer Freddie Roach to express his displeasure during a preview of the show's second episode.
Mosley takes exception
The show also played up Mosley's underdog status as the 39-year-old future boxing Hall of Famer vowed "I will not be denied". Mosley's team also made light of the fact that Pacquiao got to meet the President while Mosley went on ESPN to do an interview. In the grand scheme of things, to Team Mosley, all of it is just added motivation as they alluded to being pegged as an underdog and having been called old numerous times before in previous pre-fights against the likes of Antonio Margarito and Oscar Dela Hoya. Pacquiao's trainer Roach tends to agree with Mosley as he quashed the notion that they are in for an easy fight. "People that say to Manny 'this is an easy fight', I want to slap them in the face. Don't tell him that, because it's not an easy fight," said the Hall of Fame boxing trainer.
Pacquiao's speed; Mosley speeds
Pacquiao's obvious speed advantage was showcased in full and looked even more so when shown back-to-back with Mosley's fight highlights. It will be interesting how Mosley will try to nullify Pacquiao's speed as his trainer Nazeem Richardson pointed out kinks in Pacquiao's armor and how they intend to find a way to exploit it.
Mosley also showed how fast he can go-- on the road that is-- as he blazed through the California speed limit in his Audi doing over 100 on his way to Big Bear. But can he play Highway Patrol on the speed demon that is Pacquiao in the ring?
Pacquiao's odyssey
From literally nothing growing up in the struggles of a kid living in the streets of a third-world country to meeting the President of the United States. That's how far Pacquiao has come because of his boxing exploits. If Pacquiao did it, why can't anybody else? That truly is the amazing message this once in a lifetime athlete brings. Rewinding a decade back when he first liked up with Roach in LA, it's amazing to see the progress the duo has made as they have grown together into becoming the sport's most recognizable tandem.
Source: Examiner.com
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