LAS VEGAS — Barring unforeseen circumstances like a massive outbreak of Covid cases in the next few days or an alien invasion, Manny Pacquiao is showcasing his wares for the 30th time on American soil this weekend at the T-Mobile Arena.
It will also mark the 30th straight time that yours truly is going to be at ringside to chronicle the exploits of the greatest Filipino athlete who has ever lived.
I started covering Pacquiao when I was still with the now-defunct TODAY in the mid-1990s and I was at the MGM Grand, alongside Quinito Henson of the Philippine Star when Pacquiao made a splashing US debut in June 2001 versus Lehlo Ledwaba.
Racked up two more coverages for TODAY with Pacquiao when he fought Agapito Sanchez in San Francisco in November also in 2001 and against Jorge Julio in Memphis in 2002.
It was at Manila Bulletin where I covered the lion’s share of Pacquiao’s fight kicking off with the Emmanuel Lucero showdown in Los Angeles in July 2003.
Then everything was a blur as I found myself tailing him as he faced everyone who was brought in front of him on US soil: Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales, Hector Velazquez, Jorge Solis, David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito, Shane Mosley, Tim Bradley, Floyd Mayweather, Jesse Vargas, Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman.
Of course, there were the non-US fights staged in the Philippines, Thailand, Macau, Australia and Malaysia.
Was there when it all happened and sometimes I tend to pinch myself to check if it was really happening or I was simply day-dreaming.
Turns out covering Pacquiao has been dreamlike.
And no matter what happens this Saturday against Yordenis Ugas of Cuba, what would stand out are the following: Beating Ledwaba to a bloody pulp, making waves during the undercard of the Tyson-Lewis rumble in Memphis, mauling Barrera into submission in San Antonio, the first round of the first Maquez fight in May 2004, mangling Morales twice in 2006, retiring De La Hoya in 2008, flattening Hatton and crushing Cotto in 2009, the Mayweather bout in 2015 and the toppling of Thurman in 2019.
In a matter of days, I intend to add the Ugas fight to the collection.
But the Cuban can’t be dismissed as mere cannon fodder.
He knows what’s down the horizon if he upsets Pacquiao.
And this is exactly what I am afraid of as I dread seeing that horrific episode not just in Pacquiao, but in my career covering the fights, take place all over again.
Remember, upsets form a huge part of boxing’s lore.
