It has been a ?rags to riches? story. From a poor 14-year old youngster living in the streets of Manila and becoming one of the world?s most popular and recognized athletes, when it is fight week, and when Pacquiao is the main event, boxing gets the deserved acclaim. The opponent this time, Juan Manuel Marquez, has other plans to stop the Pacquiao bandwagon and is the underdog. And there have been very few times when Pacquiao has entered a fight as an underdog.
So why does Pacquiao continue on? His financial earnings in the ring which placed him on a top list of most lucrative athletes last year, $32 million, a successful Congressman in the Philippines, and now an accomplished singer would be enough to say the eight-time division champion has seen enough punches. And the 16-year pro does not have an ego.
It is boxing and that is what he likes to do, and with a popularity of fans in the Philippines that contribute to his willingness of continuing a quest that no fighter has discovered. Even with another win, Pacquiao is never satisfied. ??I let my fans down,? he said after retaining his WBO welterweight title in a 12-round unanimous decision over Shane Mosley in early May.
That night, Pacquiao believed he was not at his best. The right that Pacquiao has perfected to go along with a good left was not going to perfection. There wasn?t a customary Pacquiao knockout, and he heard some boos from the sold out crowd at the MGM Grand Arena, a good portion of Filipino boxing fans that travel lengths to see their icon.
The crowd was not showing disapproval for Pacquiao. They wanted a knockout and they did not get one. Later, Pacquiao would say that his performance with Mosley was attributed to leg cramps. This time against Marquez, his trainer Freddie Roach claims Manny has never been more motivated, and the adjustments have been made after the Mosley fight.
