If there is anything that draws me to the persona of Manny Pacquiao, it is the warrior-king in him and the faith he holds for his God. Now let me explain. The biblical comparison that comes to my mind is King David. He was a shepherd-boy who was thrown deep into the battle with a Philistine giant called Goliath.
The giant was a warrior since his youth, clad in an armor of steel and carried a mighty sword in his hand. He even had a shield-bearer. The Israelites trembled and no one wanted to step up to the plate and challenged him.
But not long after David volunteered. Upon seeing David, he scorned, “Am I a dog that you have come out to me with a staff?” At this time, David only had a staff, sling in his hand and five smooth stones he carefully picked from a nearby river bed. David’s answer was one of trust in his God, when he humbly said, “I come to you in the name of the Lord…” And of course, the outcome we all know.
There is so much brouhaha for Pacquiao to fight Mayweather. A $40 million payday is at stake and the mythical pound-for-pound. That $40 million payday is unprecedented in boxing history. So far, it was Mike Tyson – who in his heydays – can rake in $20 to $30 million per fight. But not $40 million.
So far the odds favor Mayweather by virtue of his conquest of Mosley. That is probably the reason why the most debated sports status today is boxing’s pound-for-pound title.
Is it Manny Pacquiao or Money Mayweather?
Pacquiao is boxing’s foremost ‘amateur.’ Amateur – from Latin ‘amo’, ‘amare’. English for love. Pacquiao is the sport’s foremost lover. He respects its brutality and science. He trains like no other and he has a fellow amateur in the name of Freddie Roach. When he was knocked out by Rustico Torrecampo, he trained his suspect chin to take the hardest blow. When he lost his world flyweight title to a Thai boxer, he moved up to 122 lbs. and fought the best in that division. At featherweight, when his Mexican opponent Marquez beat him the most of the way after knocking him down three times in first round, he learned to take and use those angle punches and developed them as one of his own.
When he was beaten by Morales at super featherweight, he learned not to trust with just his killer left straight. With Coach Roach, they developed what is now known as Manila Ice. It is a median of right hook and uppercut that can go either way. Only he and Oscar de la Hoya can deliver that kind of telling punch.
This is what I mean by Pacquiao being the boxing ‘amateur’ that he is. His depth and respect of the knowledge of his sport is tangible; his execution of fight plan is tangible; his own adjustment made inside the ring prompted his coach to holler ‘keep off the rope Manny!’ – the results were also positive and tangible. He even turned his biceps and torso into a rock by the willful battering he took from the Thai stick.
Pacquiao respects his opponents; he refrains from trash-talk. It is this kind of respect that sends shivers to most of his co-fighters. Pacquiao never predicts knock-outs; Roach does. All Manny asks of them is to train hard and entertain the fans. This includes Mayweather. But sans the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, Pac can retire now and have defeated Mayweather even without landing a single blow. That for me is the boxer’s ultimate feat.
The Mayweathers are yakkity-yakking as usual, PEDS, bouncing bullets and what-nots. They have put on the ‘armour of steel’ that Goliath had on. And the reason is that their man, Money Mayweather, is insecure. He is at a lose-lose situation this time around. If he doesn’t fight Pacquiao, he will be a duck for life. If he fights him, he doesn’t like the odds he is going in. He is not a fighter but a disguised ?casino owner.? He gambles only to win, not to lose. That is why even before Pacquiao can lay his fist on his big mouth, he will run like a chicken.
It’s too bad Roach noted in his last fight with Mosley that Mayweather had lost a step. That may just be the nail in the coffin for Mayweather to ‘re-retire.’ Translation: do the chicken run.
But then again Pacquiao may not gain $40 million more but he will gain 40 million more fans. Pac is constantly doing to Mayweather what no other boxer did to him: he is mentally defeated even before stepping into the ring.
Hence, if ever they fight, I suggest to Roach to train Pacquiao in the art of ultimate self defence. Test Mayweather’s offense and power for 2 rounds. All Pacquiao had to do on these first two rounds is to dodge his punches and to throw nothing at him. Anyway, he already won the fight even before they stepped into the ring. Like what David did to Goliath.
One stone, end of story.
