A lot has been said about Manny Pacquiao?s unimpressive performances against his last two opponents, Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez, in which he failed to measure up to his reputation as a devastating fighter.
Mosley survived 12 rounds of cat and mouse with Pacquiao, who was left frustrated running after the back-pedalling American who thought it wise to stay away from the Filipino?s reach following a knockdown in Round 3. Marquez, on the other hand, again gave Pacquiao the fits and might have victory stolen from him in their third fight.
Some said the wear and tear have already taken their toll on Pacquiao who, leading in tomorrow?s fight, has already logged a total of 59 fights since turning pro in 1995. He had been in brutal fights on his way to bagging eight titles in as many weight categories. His style requires him to take a lick of his own in order to beat the man to beat in his chosen divisions.
Pacquiao is now 33, father of four and a member of the Philippine Congress.
Invariably, people will begin to ask if Pacquiao still has the hunger in him to keep fighting, especially after his last five fights, in which he appeared to be vulnerable to emotions. True, he stopped Miguel Angel Cotto but he also carelessly allowed himself to be punched in the body just to measure the Puerto Rican?s strength. Joshua Clottey made him appear inefficient as the Ghanian proved to be unbreakable behind his defense. And Pacquiao appeared lost when faced with an Antonio Margarito whose face he so disfigured that he repeatedly looked at the referee as his way of begging to stop the fight. Then of course, there were Mosley and Marquez.
During the weigh in for his fight with Timothy Bradley, Pacquiao did his own routine of displaying his abs. He looked flabby standing side by side with Bradley, who was ripped all over. Pacquiao was a picture of personal bliss and none of the growling look that attended his previous weigh-ins where he is used to struggling to make the weight. He is now even more predisposed to quoting the Bible and invoking God?s omnipresence in him. But not a few are wondering whether his new found religiosity has all but taken away his killer instinct above the ring.
And then of course, there is Floyd Mayweather Jr. because, frankly, beyond his jailed American nemesis, there is nothing more left for Pacquiao to prove and conquer in boxing. He knows he cannot forever overstay his welcome in the ring. For like all the great champions before him, he will have to end his career either on top or wait until a younger and hungrier fighter takes him out.
But two or three disappointing fights will not unmake what Pacquiao has become although his eventual decline is inevitable. It is just a matter of when.
Will Bradley be the young man to whom Pacquiao will have to give way?
Until we see which Pacquiao will show up tomorrow, we cannot say the Filipino boxing great is on his way out.
I myself believe Pacquiao is still and will still be good for another four fights after he takes care of Bradley. But outside of Mayweather, Pacquiao cannot just carelessly pick another up-and-coming pretender. Like it or not, Pacquiao was once one like them, too.
Pacquiao knows.
Pacquiao knows when the signs will tell him it?s time to yield to new and younger champions. In the meantime, sit back and enjoy while the phenom that is Pacquiao is still around to entertain.
