Many do not realize or may have forgotten how Manny Pacquiao took his first big step on his way to stardom.
As Manny himself will tell you, it was not a road strewn with roses for easy pickings. He was already an ex-champion, having ignominiously lost his WBC flyweight crown even before climbing the ring against Medgoen Singsurat in September 1999 in Nakorn Sri Thammarat in Southern Thailand. He had failed to meet the 112 lb. limit and he was thus stripped of his title the day before the fight. To top it all, he was knocked around silly by his Thai opponent who knew that Manny?s body was sapped of energy owing to his futile efforts to make the weight.
He was counted out in the third round.
But Manny as we all know now is made of stern stuff. He picked himself up after the debacle, dusted himself off, then moved two weight classes up and strung together six straight victories. All six matches however, were fought locally
But despite annexing the WBC International Super Bantamweight title, Pacquiao knew he had to break into the international market if he wanted to realize his potential.
It was here that lady luck played her role and gave him the opportunity to fight for the WBC Super Bantamweight title in Las Vegas in 2001. Pacquiao was a last-minute replacement for the original challenger to Lehlo Ledwaba, the highly-regarded champion.
It is not difficult to surmise that the promoters picked Manny because they thought he didn?t have much of a chance to win. He was a nobody who just happened to be in the States, brought there by his then business manager Rod Nazario, who took him on the trip as a gift and to ponder the future of Manny?s career, which at the time seemed to be at a crossroads.
The rest of course now forms part of a saga that is bound to get better in the re-telling. Pacquiao surprisingly knocked the South African known to possess “Hands of Stone” in the sixth round to earn his second world title.
Since then it has been quite the fairy tale for the unassuming lad from the slums of General Santos City. He has since amassed a hefty fortune for all his trouble and has arguably been the most recognized Filipino, at least in the world of contemporary sports.
Would that this tale could be duplicated again and again. We certainly do not lack for material to fill up the lead role, because from the time of Pacho Villa and Ceferino Padua in the pre-war era, to Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, Rolando Navarrete and Luisito Espinosa, the Filipino boxer has shown that he is a tough cookie who could beat the daylights out of the best the world has to offer.
But the reality is, our prospects are wallowing in the quagmire of uncertainty and lack of opportunity. While Pacquiao has opened the door with his exploits, and we do have four other world champions currently, there are dozens in the wings who still wait in vain for a chance to prove their mettle.
And even our other champions are having a hard time getting fights because of lack of support especially on the local front.
Promoters and managers are having a desperate time of it since no other boxing event except those involving Manny get the support of corporate sponsors.
While we understand that advertisers will always go for those that will give them maximum exposure, we hope that they would also take the time to invest in the future. The potential world-beaters will never go anywhere if they do not get to figure in fights that will push them to the limit and afford them the chance to make it.
While we commend those who are going around saying they supported the Pacman ? and indeed he is deserving of their support ? we enjoin them to give those in most need of their support a bit of a push.
Go on, good sirs, go and sponsor a worthy local boxing event. Our people, who are now more than ever conscious of boxing, will surely reward you.
