I don?t think I have ever met Ronnie Nathanielsz. I know he is a respected, credible veteran Filipino sports journalist.
And he is writing for a big outfit, The Inquirer, not for the Bacalod Bugle.
I also know that he is totally off base in writing that BC?s Ricardo Lois is spewing hatred by saying that he believes that bigger and stronger Oscar de la Hoya will physically crush Manny Pacquiao.
He is also totally off base in suggesting that Lois? comments about certain Pacman fans being idiots is a sign of some racial or ethnic bias or hatred.
The small minority of Megamanny fans who are moronic are disgusting. They are the ones who don?t give Juan Manuel Marquez any credit and who do not appreciate the exquisite boxing skills of guys like Nate Campbell and?dare I mention his name?Joan Guzman.
Juan Ma just got a scintillating KO victory over Joel Casamayor but these Neanderthals never even noticed.
These ignoramuses don’t know Ray Charles Leonard from Ray Charles. They couldn’t tell you the difference between Marvin Hamlisch and Marvin Hagler.
They are just idolizers of their national hero and icon, Manny. They are not real fight fans who can appreciate and recognize the slick boxing ability of fighters such as Roy Jones and Joe Calzaghe.
When Manny is done as a fighter, this small group of idolizers will be gone from boxing. I will say good riddance to bad rubbish.
Real boxing fans can root for and appreciate good fighters no matter what country they or the boxers come from.
What seems to raise Nathanielsz?s ire is Lois reference to Oscar pulverizing Manny come Dec. 6 and makin g him do ?a crackhead dance? in the ring.
That may seem over the top, I realize, but it is really just hyperbole. In writing for this site and hosting the BC Radio Podcast, Lois does not present himself as a trained journalist.
I am or I was but neither Lois nor John Chavez ever studied journalism or wrote for newspapers.
They are, however, giving a voice here to people like themselves, fight fans who just enjoy good fights and good fighters.
They are outspoken in their views and that is good because it encourages discussion, debate and sometimes exchanges of insults.
At the end of the day, Lois does not want to see Manny get hurt or worse. He does want to get value for money in buying a PPV TV fight.
Lois and Chavez have repeatedly made their point. They are convinced that Oscar will walk all over Midget Manny.
That?s their opinion and they are entitled to that. Neither man wants to see Manny, Oscar or any other fighter carted off in an ambulance.
I?m surprised at Nathanielsz. I?m surprised he would criticize another boxing pundit for expressing an opinion.
It?s not like Lois said he would feel orgasmic delight at seeing Pacman get seriously injured or maimed.
What Lois did was exaggerate his opinion. What Lois did was take a shot at the Pac fans who are not real boxing fans and have no respect for other great boxers.
What Lois did was do his job.
Nobody?s right if everybody?s wrong but, in this particular case, Nathanielsz is all wet.
The White Gorilla has spoken.
