Like many of you, I eagerly awaited the results of “The Battle.” Manny Pacquiao had come to symbolize the hopes of a nation. For us in Taguig, the fight was even more special. We owe Manny a lot. He helped put our city on the map with the “Yanig sa Taguig” bout, his tune-up before his first encounter with Erik Morales.
But waiting for the rematch was a torture. I did not have the patience to sit through the morning and afternoon pegged on the television. Nor did I enjoy the deluge of text messages, such as “Pacquiao knocked out in the fourth” or “Morales knocked out in the sixth,” when in fact the fight hadn’t even started. Even worse messages read, “Please pass this message to 15 of your loved ones or Manny will lose the match.” The Philippines literally grounded to a halt to watch one man fight for his honor and his country.
For those who caught the fight, there are important lessons to be learned. I need not go into Manny Pacquiao’s new two-fisted attack or his tactic of going to Morales’ body. The fight was not won in the 10th round, for the seeds of Manny’s victory were planted way before then.
Great fighters talk about persistence and resilience. You become a champion by fighting one more round. When things are tough, you fight one more round. When you fall down seven times, you get up eight.
Manny Pacquiao spent months in hard training. He avenged his defeat against the same boxer who had beaten him in the same city a year ago. He learned to use his right hand and thus shed his reputation of being a one-dimensional fighter. He viewed hours of fight films, did thousands of sit-ups, ran countless kilometers and sparred hundreds of rounds to prepare himself for the fight.
Add to this the hardship he had to endure in his life and you will realize that it took 27 years for this man to become an overnight success. Manny Pacquiao indeed has come a long way from the stowaway from General Santos who had no discipline but also no fear.
Oftentimes we catch only the moments of success, without seeing or realizing the hard work that goes into it. There are no short cuts in life. The same can be said for our country. We have to work our way up the economic ladder, rung by rung if we have to, in order to compete with other countries. We can do it, but we have to possess the same sort of will and determination that we saw in Manny Pacquiao.
For one moment, one Filipino did more than win a fight; he united a country. If we had half of Manny’s determination and passion to make this country a better place, maybe we could stay united for more than an afternoon.
Mabuhay ka Manny Pacquiao!
