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Philippines, 03 May 2024 |
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THE PEOPLE AND DEMOCRACY IN BOXING By Reni M. Valenzuela PhilBoxing.com Sun, 30 Mar 2014  What liberated people would ignore an injustice, gladly bear its yoke and willingly suffer its injuries by doing nothing? If scoundrels think they are free to do what they?re doing in defiance of reason and what is right, can?t we be at liberty to do what?s right and reasonable in defiance of the baseness of what they?ve been doing? ?Our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but by how we react to what happens. Not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life.? Mockery of the sport and insult to thinking fans: That?s what any upcoming Mayweather and Pacquiao fight would be, prior to and outside of the ?Mayweather vs. Pacquiao.? No matter how quacks spin their magic wand to stir some hollow buzz for promotional purposes, Pac and Floyd versus different foe on April 12 and May 3 respectively aren?t worth the attention of normal people. It?s been a long time since boxing and the fans initially yielded themselves subservient to the whims of bigwigs and the obstinate regarding the ?Pac-Floyd? saga, always with a promise of making the Mega Bout ?next,? but only for the fans and boxing to realize in the end - it?s all false hope. Pacquiao and Mayweather don?t just owe the fans and sport The Fight; they owe them justice. Forthcoming are Pacquiao versus Timothy Bradley again and Mayweather opposite the handpicked ball Marcos Maidana. But why such matchups when a matchup between Pacquiao and Mayweather is what the sport warrants, what makes the most sense, what the aficionados vouch for, what the fans push, and what the world has long yearned to happen? The clamor is persistent as shown in past surveys and the ones recently conducted by different media outlets. This time it?s funnier than funny. The prodigals intend not only to remain lost, but become insolent for the rest of the remaining bouts of Pacquiao and Mayweather after Bradley and Maidana. The ?Batmans? of the Night are doggedly defiant of the sun and moon to bully boxing and go against a worldwide tide. For a period of five or six years, nothing was achieved to get the Mega Bout going. Everyone in both camps acts and reacts like a toddler. They point fingers and trade barbs to no end. All they do is squabble over a jar of candies and chocolates. Therefore: Get the candies and chocolates to compel them to behave. But leave the empty jar in their hands to allow them space to ponder what to do with it, and with their narrow-mindedness. Or, what they need to realize about the joy, pain and paradox of ?emptiness? and ?fulfillment? to show them The Way. The Mayweather-Maidana and Pacquiao-Bradley-Arum II bear merit only to those who consider themselves undeserving of respect. It is lamentable that such rarity of character in people seems to populate the sport nowadays. Hence crocs and the crooks thrive, with sky as the limit. They continue to play and wallow in their folly with the people?s pockets as their field. While they luxuriate to take pleasure in toying with sanity and all that is regarded decent and honorable in this part of the universe we live in, alas, jerks awarded them with trophies and medals. More and more fans are beginning to think and they increasingly become uninterested in boxing because, as they say, boxing is increasingly becoming just about money, money and money. Floyd ?Money? Mayweather and Manny ?Pacman? Pacquiao are the current biggest names in boxing. Notwithstanding, it would do well for them to refrain from further engaging in any bout unless they agree on paper to fight each other. Days of infamy for boxing would be those days when Pacquiao fights Bradley on April 12 and when Mayweather fights Maidana on May 3. What mammals will patronize bad jokes by the ?Jokers?? Only until Pac and Floyd meet in the same ring as a precondition will the people have reason to enjoy them versus competitive or ?cherry-picked? guys in the future. The ?Pacquiao-Mayweather? is not merely one fight. It is a fight against all that is wrong about boxing today. How come it appears elusive up to now? At a time when it is nearest to coming to fruition? Mayweather has been ducking Pacquiao since 2009 and such is a known fact throughout the world. But for whatever truest reason why is that so, only Mayweather?s ?gallant? heart can tell. Mayweather?s problem is ?money? and his lack of courage, while Pacquiao?s fault is Bob Arum and Michael Koncz, aside from want of his own disposition beyond his inordinate, stubborn obsession to wander in corrupt politics. I?m still a fan of Pacman, but I choose not to be blinded by fanaticism. I may be among Floyd?s legion of critics, but well-meaning criticisms will serve him best if he treats them as friends. The hosanna choir and idol worshipers around Mayweather are Mayweather?s real enemies whose goal is to drive him further away from himself to get what they want. Sometimes the ?nicest? ally could be your vilest adversary, while the person you may call a hater could be the one loving you the most. The sport is in agony with seemingly no solution in sight to its lingering illnesses. Though, we have BOYCOTT at ?The Moment? as a potent medicine to take towards healing ourselves. No undercard fights can cause the fans to waver from being resolved to heal themselves and do justice to the sport beyond their thoughtless inclinations. Stand firm. A man is at his noblest and strongest when personal interests become immaterial in his efforts to press for the concerns that involve a bigger world just as when the King of kings abandoned his lofty place to walk among mortals to save us, humans. To the media: Have clear conscience. Prove to the scoundrels that justice and truth have no price tag; and that you can?t be bought to participate in subverting such priceless gems either by sin of omission or commission. Who defines BOXING and who will determine its future? If not you, THE PEOPLE, who else should? Democracy means People Power. But the people can be as blind as a lost sheep, helpless and wayward, the reason being why democracy is flawed or imperfect. Yet among other forms of government to choose from, DEMOCRACY, under an enlightened horizon and guided path, is the most ideal way to rule a country or a sport. Yes, you?re part of the solution. You may be the missing link to complete the passage to salvation. Don?t just keep body and soul together. Be in the saddle to cleanse and rejuvenate the sport by standing firm and strong to banish ?childishness? and abuses - for a fresh, beautiful, new start. ?Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we?ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.? - Obama The time has come. And the time is NOW. Be counted. renimvalenzuela@yahoo.com Click here to view a list of other articles written by Reni M. Valenzuela.  |
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