HOT POTATO via HOLLOYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – World Boxing Organization Welterweight Champion Manny Pacquiao will soon arrive in Manila via Philippine Airlines. And as his feet touch on the Philippine soil, he surely will sense the political landscape he faces is no longer the same.
The Filipinos are increasingly becoming divisive relative to his being called the “national treasure”. And nothing is less treasured than his personal life versus his political and business life. His “promotional” image is less revealing than what his secrets would tell following controversies after several controversies, both public and private.
But, one thing is certain, of course, his true hardcore supporters and the others like the sycophants, the paid hacks, the gully-wow politicians and the depressed and even the disillusioned and the disenchanted, would still continue to sing hallelujahs and will even try to close-in their hero from one corner to another. Advertisement
And like a deer caught in headlights, his case in 2012 in the boxing arena wound be an inescapable requisite for his ultimate journey in politics. He might just as well walk away from boxing or just pick a fight with a less threatening opponent before he hangs up his gloves for good.
So true as well this first headlight in point, Karl Marx called religion “opium of society”. In fact, he wrote: “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.” And in today’s Maharlikan nation, Pacquiao has become the “opium” of the less inspired and the less cared, with the exceptions of those intelligentsia and illustrados.
Whether you like it or not, millions still are bent on giving glory to the Maharlikan hero, especially in times like this when no one has brought “honor” to the Philippine flag more impressively than Pacquiao himself, despite, perhaps millions of Filipinos, if not just hundreds of thousands, may have believed Pacquiao lost to Marquez. Still, Pacquiao, thus far, is the only living Maharlikan who may have bridged the social gap between the rich and the poor through his inspirational feat in the ring of madness and more of all his kindnesses to the less fortunate.
Tracking better new clues of Pacquiao’s likely future choice of opponents comes from his recent controvertial win by majority decision over Marquez. Top Rank Godfather Robert “Bob” Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, wants the Filipino Superstar to take Marquez on May 5.
But, Freddie Roach, who trains Pacquiao, prefers his pupil to face a fresh opponent. He believes a Pacquiao fight against Marquez the fourth time is less appealing.
Another equally elucidating headlight to note, Roach, who confessed that Pacquiao really did not clearly win over Marquez, now wants to abandon the idea of a fourth encounter with Marquez for Pacquiao. He rather wants Pacquiao to fight undefeated WBC Welterweight Champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. He thinks Mayweather, Jr., being a fresh opponent for Pacquiao, poses lesser challenge than Marquez. Converserly, it looks like Pacquiao is facing difficult odds. He already had tremendous difficulty with his last encounter with Marquez, who is a technical fighter with effective counter-punching ability, whom Mayweather, Jr. easily defeated in 2009 by winning every single round of their twelve rounds of boxing.
Now, both Roach and Pacquiao verbally asserting a better alternative for a May fight, that is against Mayweather, Jr.
But, can this be a “bluff” knowing that a purpoted Mayweather-Pacquiao fight has already been getting so remote? Is this simply a way for Pacquiao to pick easy fights?
Forget about Timothy Bradley, Brandon Rios, Miguel Cotto!
Only two opponents are formidable for Pacquiao in the welterweight division, as for now: Marquez and Mayweather, Jr.
In the past few months, inside report from Team Pacquiao rather suggested to this writer Mayweather, Jr. really is not listed as part of Pacquiao’s opponents before he retires.
What more can Pacquiao defend against Mayweather, Jr., a more effective counter-puncher and a better attacker, when Marquez, the “lesser light”, has exposed him to the fullest?
In fact, Marquez has humbled Roach by his eventual confession, saying, “I have underestimated Marquez.”
A well-pronounced underestimation by Roach might just await for Pacquiao’s ultimate fall in the hands of Mayweather, Jr.
