Pulling no punches

Manny Pacquiao’s 2007 results made it clear something wasn’t right.

Distracted mostly by his attempt to win election to a congressional seat in his native Philippines, Pacquiao’s eighth-round knockout of little-known Jorge Solis last April was not the dazzling performance usually turned in by the fast-punching, power-fisted dynamo who had emerged as the “Mexican Assassin” by destructing the country’s great fighters, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera.

Then, in an October rematch with Barrera, whom Pacquiao had dominated in a 2003 technical knockout, the Filipino star won a unanimous decision with a lackluster effort.

Not only had Pacquiao lost his national election, his Filipino fans were questioning what happened to their icon’s superior skills.

“First, it took him eight rounds to take an ordinary guy, then no one back home thought Barrera would last past six,” said Manila Bulletin sportswriter Nick Giongco.

Pacquiao’s handlers huddled and assessed that their star’s decision to spend the entire Barrera training camp in his home country was a mistake. He’s too popular there, and was bombarded with too many requests that tugged him away from his ring commitments.

Pacquiao, 29, said he agreed a watershed moment in his career had arrived.

“I was not 100% focused, and I was not too excited by my performances in those two fights,” Pacquiao said last week as he concluded his training in Hollywood. In a less public admission, trainer Freddie Roach said Pacquiao told him he was fighting at “50%” and felt “bored.”

So after the Barrera fight, Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, summoned Pacquiao to Las Vegas for a meeting with his manager and trainer.

“I couldn’t get him to concentrate on either the promotion or his training for Solis, and we held our breath as he trained overseas before Barrera,” Arum said. “That was ludicrous. It was with much trepidation that we sent him into that fight.”

Arum “laid it out” during a two-hour lunch meeting with the boxer, according to a Top Rank official who attended the summit.

“If you want to go where you want to go, you’ve got to be more focused -- we have ambitious plans for you,” Arum told Pacquiao.

“All I did,” Arum said, “was reinforce what everyone was telling me about the way Manny was going. It carried more weight, probably, because I’m the one who pays everybody.”

Pacquiao remembers the scolding like this: “Some people advised me my performance was getting down, and I realized it was true.”

In the discussion, Arum revealed a proposed 2008 fight schedule for Pacquiao: a rematch with World Boxing Council super-featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday, followed by WBC lightweight champion David Diaz in the summer and former light-welterweight world champion Ricky Hatton in the late fall.

Arum asked Pacquiao if he’d fight those three, and the boxer answered yes.

So conditions were attached. Eight weeks of pre-fight training for Marquez would be done with veteran trainer Roach in Hollywood. Distractions such as poker trips with the entourage to the Commerce Casino and injury risks such as pickup basketball games would be eliminated.

A strict rotation of hard work, followed by mostly isolated rest would be necessary, because his first opponent, Marquez -- who responded to three first-round knockdowns at Pacquiao’s hands in 2004 to gain a draw -- was identified as the toughest of the three 2008 foes.

“There’s no doubt,” Pacquiao said. “I’ve trained hard.”

The Hatton fight has since fallen through, Arum said this week, but the promoter is now angling to land a fight against Oscar De La Hoya after Diaz.

Pacquiao (45-3-2, 34 knockouts) has spent his Marquez preparation living in a barren Hollywood condominium with a poster from their first fight affixed near his television for motivation.

He has committed to a rigorous routine that calls for three weekly 58-minute runs in the hills from Griffith Observatory to the Hollywood sign, 1,000 sit-ups at the end of each run, 1,000 more sit-ups after each workout at Roach’s Wild Card gym six days a week, and sparring sessions that include intense battles with a Marquez clone -- unbeaten super-featherweight Juanito Garcia -- and a personal-best 20 rounds with no rest.

Arum made his third visit to inspect Pacquiao in Hollywood last week. When he’s not there, the promoter said he relies on “spies” to make sure Pacquiao isn’t gambling and is running every morning.

An associate of Pacquiao confirms the notoriously free-spending boxer is limiting his gambling to $5 to $10 games of darts at home.

“I go by results, and look at the results here,” Arum said. “He’s in unbelievable shape. I’ve never seen him in this kind of shape. He’s incredibly fit and focused, and I’m sure you’ll see the best Manny Pacquiao you’re going to see. At his best, he’s a nonstop machine.”

Said Roach: “This time, he knows what he’s up against. The most exciting thing he does at night now is karaoke in his room. He’s told me, ‘I’m dedicating my life to boxing.’ ”

Roach has privately told insiders that Pacquiao is going to “knock Marquez’s head off.”

“Manny’s in great shape, and is very motivated,” Roach said Monday. “I couldn’t have asked for a better camp. If we can’t win after this camp, then Juan’s just the better man.”

Sparring partner Garcia said it’s obvious to him Pacquiao is driven to “erase that blemish” of the draw with Marquez.

“He’s really explosive,” Garcia said. “It’s obvious he’s pushed himself as hard as he can.”

Said Pacquiao: “I want to be known beyond the Philippines as a great fighter.

“I realized no one can help me in the ring but me. I feel confident, with no doubt, about the good performances that are coming this year, and that starts now.

“You’ll see a big difference between this fight with Marquez and the first one.”

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lance.pugmire@latimes.com