Ever since I became interested in almost any sport, but most particularly in boxing, there is a theory in my mind that as the years went on is being proven to be true. This theory refers to the thing they call “Fire in the belly”. Some people call it hunger, but to me there is something more to it than mere satisfaction of a need that hunger connotes. It is the confluence of courage, hunger, redemption and respect, honor, dignity and thirst for glory.
A fighter who has this phenomenal trait is always destined to success and glory. To illustrate this point, I would like to take the case of the four famous boxers who have redeemed boxing from the gutters nowadays after the lackluster fights of heavier weights.
Nothing can beat the drama and the excitement that the rivalry of these four boxers created. To their credit, they deserve the attention. These fighters, who all belong in the pound for pound list are Manny Pacquiao, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez.
At the onset, the rivalry of Morales and Barrera has already generated much following mainly due to the skills and heart of these Mexican fighters showing their Latino hearts. While this rivalry was seething, another excellent boxer, Juan Manuel Marquez was complaining because he was left out and avoided by the two. Critics doubted whether Marquez belonged in the same class as Morales and Barrera, although, most boxing fans believe that he does, but admit that Marquez’s style is not as exciting as the other two, thereby making him boring to watch.
Fire was burning in Mexico, at that time. Then, came Manny Pacquiao.
Enter the PacMan with his devil-may-care- attitude, blazing his way to Mexico, fighting all of these feuding fighters and the result was really a glorious boxing classic. The boxing world exploded with the ferocity of the explosions of Mount Popocatepl and Mount Pinatubo combined. Tremors are experienced not only in the Philippines and Mexico, but also throughout the entire boxing world. All magnificent ring explosions reminiscent of the Leonard-Hagler-Hearns-Duran golden era of boxing. I guess this kind of hard-to-rival rivalries really come in fours.
We all know that these great boxers have different styles, but we have never seriously discussed what they all have in common.
Fire in the belly.
The fighter who has it, wins. The fighter, who loses it, gets defeated. When two fighters have it and pound each others head off in the ring, victory and defeat are reduced to a mere technicality because in the hearts of all boxing fans, nobody loses and everybody wins.
When Barrera fought Morales, both fighters had their guts aflame. It was the harbinger of good things to come for boxing. I had the fight for Barrera, but as I said the victory is technically gained in the scorecards, but real victory worth the man’s life is won in the hearts of men. Hence, Barrera’s loss was his victory for it gained him the much-deserved respect that he should have gotten earlier.
Then, the sequel. I had it for Morales, but the scorecards favored Barrera this time. It was a change of fate, but there were still those burning flames in both men’s stomachs. So, regardless of what the scorecards said, Morales loss simply elevated his stature into legendary proportions. The Tijuana legend.
Then Marco lost it. And Manny Pacquiao got that “Fire in the belly”.
Barrera’s annihilation by Pacquiao in eleven savage rounds was the heavy price Marco has to pay for losing that fire, that unexplainable feeling that makes a man attain a level far beyond the ordinary. He said he was not the old Barrera that fought Pacquiao that night. I have to agree. He lost the fire in the belly. He got overconfident and lost focus.
And that glorious victory over a man of Barrera’s fame is the great reward Pacquiao received for fighting with a blazing gut. He charged against Barrera with the ferocity and tenacity of the raging bull. Barrera has to be rescued, literally, to save his life and career.
Then came the Pacquiao-Marquez classic. Pacquiao, riding in his new found confidence, savaged Juan Manuel Marquez in the very first round of their fight, but Marquez would not be denied his place in the sun of the boxing world. Knowing that he has always been relegated to the shadows of his two compatriots, Marquez, fighting for survival and dignity, braved on with the heart never before seen from him. Unfortunately, though, he must suffer first the ignominy of being knocked down thrice in the first canto before he discovered the heart that has always been with him. As an accountant, he must have been thinking too much of accounting than boxing before for which reason he was so tentative and boring in his fights. But when he found himself lying on the canvass thrice, he forgot to count and just fought with such skill and heart to show the world what an excellent boxer he is. He got the fire in his belly in the nick of time when all seem to be lost.
Then, Morales lost it. And Barrera regained it.
With the mauling he got from Pacquiao, Barrera learned his lesson well. And he rediscovered that consuming fire in the belly that a boxer should always have. On the other hand, Morales lost it in the realms of love and romance. He thought more that he was Romeo rather than Erik. And Barrera woke him up with the pounding on his head. For that hazy feeling in the bosom of his love, Morales lost the trilogy. Truly, love conquers all. None should argue.
Then, Morales got it when Pacquiao still has it. “Fire in the belly”.
The result is history.
Morales displayed the best boxing skills that he had. I had never seen Morales box so well, so intelligently, so experienced, so focused. Pacquiao charged relentlessly, so gallantly, fiercely, laying his life on the line for the sake of victory, but with the physical handicap he got from the accidental headbutt, Pacquiao’s gallantry fell short of getting the nods of the judges, but he earned the respect of all boxing fans around the world for such valor in the face of insurmountable odds. I believe that the fire in his belly will be further incensed by such setback and I hope Barrera, Morales and Marquez will still have that fire so as to continue the writing of a golden chapter in boxing history.
Boxing history is written, not by the pen, but by the fire in the belly.
