The frenzied anticipation made the defeat more painful for Filipino boxing fans, although they were always aware that Floyd Mayweather Jr. was a formidable foe for homegrown boxing champion Manny Pacquiao. There were reports of an arm injury sustained in March, and Pacquiao himself reportedly thought he had won the mega fight in Las Vegas. But the judges counted the blows landed over 12 rounds and unanimously gave the game to the undefeated American.
It still remained the richest boxing match ever. Even in defeat, Pacquiao need not work for the rest of his life with the money he made from the fight. His rags-to-unimaginable-riches story has inspired millions of impoverished Filipinos, giving them hope that a better life is possible if one works hard enough to shine in one?s chosen field.
There lies the secret of Pacquiao?s astounding success: relentless hard work, to be the best not just in the Philippines but in the world. He has also shown an impressive ability to bounce back, whether from loss in politics or defeat in boxing. Even as Pacquiao licked his wounds yesterday, Filipinos hoped for a rematch. This was shot down by an announcement from Mayweather?s camp that he intended to have just one more fight, later this year with a still unknown challenger, before hanging up his gloves for good.
Pacquiao himself will soon have to seriously consider retirement from his beloved sport, and the nation should be looking around for younger boxers with world champion potential. Once spotted, the promising boxer must be given full support by the government, which can mobilize assistance from the private sector. As in other sports, developing world-class boxing skills requires financing that is beyond the means of young pugilists who, like Pacquiao, typically come from low-income households.
Hard work and determination drove Pacquiao to beat almost every opponent. To be sure, one needs uniquely exceptional skills to be at the top of one?s game. But hard work, unrelenting drive, discipline and sufficient training support dramatically raise the odds of becoming the world?s best. Win or lose, Pacquiao has shown Filipinos the way to becoming world class, and how richly rewarding it can be.
