On January 22, 2006, I watched a blurry telecast of Morales-Pacquiao II from a small rice farm in Catabban, Isabela, Philippines.
It wasn’t exactly what I was supposed to be doing. As a necktie-wearing, Book of Mormon-toting missionary from Scottsdale, Arizona, I should’ve been spreading the word of the Big Fella. But the little guy from General Santos City caught my eye, and before long, I fell for Manny’s spell.
Now, nearly six years later, I’m still mesmerized by the “Pambansang Kamao” (National Fist) of the Philippines.
I listen to him sing during my daily commute. I report on his bullet-proof SUVs from Ogden, Utah. I imitate his moves when lounging around the house.
So what pulls me to Pacquiao? Why am I so drawn to this fascinating fighter?
The reasons are as numerous as the sand on the Sarangani seashore.
These are my favorites:
1. His story is inspirational.
Born into poverty, Pacquiao grew up sleeping on dirty floors and selling cigarettes on the streets. Then, looking to make more money, he fought in underground boxing matches, earning 100 pesos?then around $2?per bout. At 16, he moved to Manila with the dream of belts and a better life.
Both came quickly. Pacquiao won his first title when he was 19, and today, he owns a record-breaking eight of them, making him one of the highest-paid athletes in the world.
2. Unlike Mayweather, Pacquiao wants to fight.
Before announcing that he would fight Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand Garden on May 5, Floyd Mayweather Jr. tried to make it seem as if Pacquiao was avoiding the megafight. Fortunately, not many people bought it, and now, the truth is out.
According to the Associated Press, Pacquiao told Mayweather he was willing to duke it out for a 50-50 split of all revenue from the fight. He even agreed to all of Mayweather’s demands?including the random blood testing.
Sounds pretty fair, right?
Apparently not to Mayweather. He demanded all of the pay-per-view proceeds, which are expected to produce more than $150 million. In other words, Floyd’s the one dodging the match.
3. Nicknames.
Pacquiao has a plethora of stylish nicknames: “Pacman,” “The Mexicutioner,” and “The Fighting Congressman,” just to name a few. All of which are much better than Mayweather’s moniker. Floyd “Money” Mayweather. Does he really think that’s cool?
4. He’s committed to helping others.
The Tagalog term “kay ganda”?which literally means “so beautiful”?can be used to express appreciation for almost anything, including landscapes, people, food, and music. It can even be used to describe someone’s lifestyle.
Take, for instance, the way Pacquiao lives his life.
With Pacquiao, you don’t get that thuggish behavior that’s become the norm among professional boxers.
You get humility. You get philanthropy. You get an outlook that is simply “kay ganda.”
Still not a fan of Pacman? Try taking a journey back in time.
