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Philippines, 19 Apr 2024 |
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A FIGHT FOR COUNTRY'S PRIDE & HONOR, NOT FOR PACQUIAO'S PERSONAL GLORY By Aquiles Z. Zonio PhilBoxing.com Sat, 09 Apr 2016  LAS VEGAS ? Some critics viewed the April 9 trilogy between world eight-division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and former two-time WBO Welterweight champ Timothy Bradley as nothing but a fight for personal pride and money. Sad to say, these critics failed to see the point. Pacquiao earned the hard way his lofty status as a global sports icon. His exploits as a boxer were replete with stories of hardships and sacrifices. It was never a walk in the park. Pacquiao, despite his diminutive size and humble beginnings, is the only boxer in history who won championship crowns in eight different weight classes. Now, who says the country?s pride and honor isn?t at stake in Pacquiao?s third match with Bradley? Many times in the past, Pacquiao fought in non-title bouts against world?s top-caliber and renowned boxers. Those fights were surely not just for his personal glory and money. Nobody, as far as I can remember, had said that before. Pacquiao is a national sports hero and a pride not just of Filipinos but of the entire Asian people. Anybody who refuses to recognize this is an idiot if not insane. Not just once but for several times he lifted the flaccid spirit of his countrymen reeling from both man-made and natural disasters. Pacquiao is there to liven us up every time we need a moral encouragement. 
Fans pose with eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquio shortly after his final road run inside the UNLV rubberized track oval Thursday morning. Photo by Wendell Rupet Alinea. Then, politics intervened. Pacquiao ran for public office hoping to make an impact on the lives of poor people. He did. He did not fail the people especially those in his district. For two consecutive terms as congressman in the lone district of Sarangani, Pacquiao served without any tinge of corruption. He made a legacy, this time in politics, by proving that one can be a public servant without necessarily stealing money from government coffers. He built houses for homeless Filipinos and extended medical help to the poor using his own hard-earned money. No politician or businessman in the Philippines is doing that. Despite what he did, ingrates, including those afflicted with crab mentality, continue to lambast and insult him. He did his job in Congress. He authored and co-authored meaningful legislative measures but it failed to pass in Congress simply because he belonged to an opposition bloc. It?s a public knowledge that Congress in the Philippines, especially the Lower House, has long become a breeding and stomping ground for ?crocodiles.? During his term as lawmaker, many times he was offered money just to support some administration-sponsored bills but he turned it down. This is what he despises most in the Lower House ? bribery & corruption. Can we blame Pacquiao if he doesn?t want his presence felt in the biggest crocodile farm in the world? His constituents in Sarangani must be proud that he is not one among the thick-faced, pot-bellied ?crocodiles? in Congress. Why begrudge Pacquiao for dabbling or trying his luck in politics? We all have the right to run for public office. We all have the right to advance what we believe is a noble cause. We all have the right to dream. We all have the right to be happy. We are all entitled to our own humble opinion. Pacquiao?s statement on LGBT was misconstrued and taken out of context due to malicious cherry-picking done by a media company in airing the interview. During the height of the controversy, many people in his circle were egging him on to file a multi-million libel case against the media company, but he said ?No! Truth will set me free.? His statement was not an attack against LGBT per se. It was directed against same sex union. Albeit related, LGBT and same sex marriage are two different issues. Now, let?s go back to the boon of contention here. God is really so good and defending in His own subtle way a righteous man like Pacquiao. Look! Just recently, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) made an announcement that it will present a special belt labeled ?Battle of Super Champions? to the winner of Pacquiao-Bradley III which will be staged on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) here. ?This is a very important recognition that the WBO is giving to these two Super Champions," WBO President Francisco ?Paco? Valcarcel was quoted as saying. Valcarcel added "Both Pacquiao and Bradley have given much prestige to our organization, the welterweight division and boxing in general. Bradley being a five time champion, between 140 and 147 pounds, and Pacquiao with everything that he has been done in the boxing, possibly already bidding farewell to this sport, we want to perpetuate the legacy of both. This belt, a special edition of the International Championship and manually crafted with gold and diamonds, costs more than a hundred thousand dollars, but invaluable. Simply something unique to recognize these two Super Champions." Valcarcel?s statement put the issue to rest. Pacquiao-Bradley III is a prestigious boxing match. Filipino pride and honor is at stake, not just a boxer?s pursuit for personal glory and money. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Aquiles Z. Zonio.  |
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