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Philippines, 20 Apr 2024 |
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PACQUIAO AND SEABISCUIT: IT'S NOT THE HEIGHT, IT'S THE HEART By Michael M. Malapitan PhilBoxing.com Wed, 01 Oct 2008  I have followed closely the career growth of Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao. During his early years in boxing, this featherweight from the south of the Philippines was not an instant celebrity. He had to earn his status now as boxing's pound-for-pound champion the hard way - experiencing falls and losses during his early boxing years. His story reminds me of the greatest racing horse of all time - Seabiscuit. Seabiscuit like the Pacman started out real low. The Biscuit or "Pops," as his jockey Red Pollard nicknamed him, was a relatively small horse, with an ungraceful gaiting style, and knobbed knee joints. In short he is a horse you would least expect to win a race. But the biscuit proved this notion wrong. He won one race after the other - winning most of them in record breaking time. Seabiscuit's much anticipated pitting with another great horse - the War Admiral - was an all time box office hit in the Pimlico Race Track. The bigger, more beautiful, ferocious-looking Admiral was the clear favorite over the biscuit who stood almost 3 hands short of the Admiral. The Admiral was considered undefeatable during that time which reminds me of how people perceive the legendary Oscar Dela Hoya - whom other people think is impossible to beat (by a smaller Pacquiao). Pacquiao at this channel represents the brave-hearted Seabiscuit. During his race against the War Admiral, the biscuit took the race from start to finish giving the Admiral just a small chance to tie in the middle part of the race then burst to finish the race in record breaking time - the fastest established in Pimlico tracks. The biscuit won the race with a margin of four lenghts - a win not to be doubted. A win which was truly deserved by the small but gallant Seabiscuit. Pacquiao represents the modern day Seabiscuit. He won several and lost to some. Both are from an era of depression where their people could only find a hero out of them. Pacquiao is a hero in the Philippines. His countrymen look up to him with great respect and admiration. He unites his fellowmen everytime he has a fight. The whole country stands still everytime the Pacman climbs the ring. Seabiscuit did the same thing. The biscuit united the entire US in a time of depression. He became the symbol of a "rags-to-riches" story. He became the hope of the Americans to stand-up and continue fighting - to continue living. I guess both, Pacquiao and Seabicuit, shared a lot of things in common. They are both icons - a symbol of hope for their people. The fight in December of Manny Pacquiao and Oscar Dela Hoya (I believe) already happened in 1938. It is like a reincarnation of the Seabiscuit and War Admiral - where the smaller, least expected fighter emerged winner! The story of the biscuit proves that you do not need height to win but instead what you need is a heart! Top photo: Seabiscuit (L) glides ahead of War Admiral in this classic painting by equine artist Terry Lindsey. Photo courtesy of Equidae Gallery of Horse Paintings. * * * Michael M. Malapitan works as a Quality Analyst of BlastAsia, Inc. with offices at Raffles Corporate Center in Ortigas, Pasig, Philippines. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Michael M. Malapitan.  |
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