What can be stated about the Filipino sensation that is Manny Pacquiao that hasn’t already been professed by legions of boxing scribes and devotees alike? The answer to this profound question is simple – a hell of a lot. Like a freight train charging through a sleepy once forgotten mining town, Manny burst onto the professional ranks of boxing and completely derailed the sport and its doubts of the Far Eastern pugilist’s abilities. Not to be taken lightly or underestimated, Pacquiao proved that not only can he run with the big dogs, but that his bite has always been much more effective than his bark. You see, “Pac Man” doesn’t have much of a bark. He does his talking with his fists in the ring, often painting masterpieces like an artisan’s finely tuned brush on fleshy canvases that provide their own hues and palettes of black and blue and blood red.
His dismantling and calculated destruction of Marco Antonio Barrera took everyone by surprise to put it mildly. Barrera has always been a proud and dominant force in boxing for years and most of the “experts” saw “The Baby Faced Assassin” completely outclassing the fighter who has often been kindly referred to as “Little Tyson” because of the ferocity and power with which he fights.
Manny’s will to win and persevere comes with the weight of an entire nation on his shoulders. Much like Mexican fighters who must uphold the traditions and honor of their culture and countrymen, so too must Pacquiao defend and exalt the honor and heart of the Filipino people whom he represents every time he enters the ring. He is their immediate hope and constant reminder that anything is possible no matter the odds or obstacles that you may face in your lifetime. It is these people who he fights for and he is the voice of those who sometimes go unheard and remain nameless.
“Pac Man” has rejuvenated the sport of boxing like many of those before him and brought the support system and firm beliefs of an entire nation as backup. And with a winning combination like that he just can’t lose.
