BOXING fans are the most deprived creatures on earth because they seldom get the chance to see their heroes in action.
It would be inconceivable for the millions who avidly follow football, cricket and tennis if Lionel Messi, Sachin Tendulkar and Rafael Nadal paraded their genius only twice a year.
Manny Pacquiao, with Floyd Mayweather Jnr having gone into hibernation, now stands unopposed as pound for pound the world’s greatest fighter.
Yet there’s more chance of catching sight of the Curlew Sandpiper, one of Britain’s rarest birds, than getting a glimpse of the classy Filipino strutting his stuff in the ring.
For the last three years, Pacquiao has made no more than bi-annual appearances and it will be no different in 2011.
Tomorrow, he defends his WBO welterweight crown against Sugar Shane Mosley in Las Vegas.
One more outing is planned for the Autumn and that will be it for another year.
Pacquiao could well decide to retire sooner rather than later unless Mayweather stops playing hard to get and agrees to challenge him.
Freddie Roach, his award-winning trainer, certainly wouldn’t be surprised if Manny decides to hang up his gloves before we hear Auld Lang Syne again.
Pacquiao is a dedicated Congress man back home in the Philippines and Roach knows his parliamentary duties are taking up more and more of his time.
Which means Manny is going to have to make a vital decision in the near future – is it to be pugilism or politics? Our loss would be his constituents’ gain.
Watching Pacquiao going about his work is always a joy. He’s the best I’ve seen since Sugar Ray Leonard and Julio Cesar Chavez were in their prime.
So it is hardly surprising the 16,000-plus MGM Grand Arena has been sold out for weeks, as people don’t get to see a world champion in seven weight divisions every day of the week.
Thankfully, we can see his clash with Mosley live on Sky Sports HD1 from 2am on Sunday morning.
The Pacman is a prohibitive 6-1 on favourite to beat Mosley, who will be 40 in September.
But Mosley, a three-time world champion, is a skilful, tough and courageous competitor.
I’m sure Roach will have made sure that Pacquiao will be mentally strong.
Manny won’t have to be told twice that Mosley, as old as he is, will still be extremely dangerous.
Shane’s knockout ratio is very high. He’s got rid of 39 of his 46 victims inside the distance.
Inevitably, the ageing process means fighters lose many of their greatest assets.
There’s no doubt Shane isn’t as fast as he was and his reflexes have dulled.
But fighters, however ancient, never lose the power in their punches.
If Mosley manages to catch Pacquiao flush, then the Philippines could find itself in mourning next week.
Not that I expect that to happen. It’s more likely Pacquiao will be the first to prevent Mosley from hearing the bell to end the 12th and last round.
Whatever happens, we must savour every moment that Pacquiao devotes to whatever may be left of his boxing career.
