LAS VEGAS ? It was a scalding summer day in 2001 and the man who was within punching range from Manny Pacquiao?s punches other than Lehlo Ledwaba instantly knew he was seeing greatness unfold.
?I was saying to myself ?I?ve never seen him fight before but I said this kid has a lot of talent,?? recalled former Hall of Fame referee Joe Cortez as he reminisced about his first close encounter with Pacquiao.
Pacquiao was a last-minute substitute and he made a rousing US debut with a sixth-round beatdown of Ledwaba to capture the International Boxing Federation super-bantamweight title.
?I didn?t know where he came from. I know he came from the Philippines but I didn?t know they had great fighters like him,? recalled Cortez, who retired from refereeing in 2012 after officiating over 160 title fights.
Cortez, now 72, was forced to stop the fight after seeing enough punishment administered by Pacquiao on the favored South African puncher.
?This guy (Pacquiao) is superb over the other fighter,? said Cortez, who now works as the analyst for ESPN Sports.
Then a few years later, fellow Hall of Fame inductee Bob Arum approached the New York-raised Cortez and asked his opinion about a certain kid from the Philippines.
?I remember Bob Arum asking me one day he said, ?Joe what do you think about this fighter?? I said you know what you got a great one here you got a super champion, he?s gonna be one of the better ones. And little did I know that later on so many years later he has won eight titles.? ADVERTISING inRead invented by Teads
Cortez, who worked on a couple of more Paquiao fights, is quite sad that the Filipino star will soon be hang it all up.
?It?s a blessing we have somebody like him in boxing because he kind of revived boxing again and got it to the level that it is now. And he?s a professional not only inside the ring but outside as well. And on top of that now that he has his plans for the future and has a great career ahead of him in the political arena.?
?Everybody knows him, and he wants to help the people in the Philippines. I think he?ll make a great senator. I think hell be great for his country and the world,? concluded Cortez.
