MANNY Pacquiao has come a long way in seven years.
From a little known fighter who speaks little English fighting in the undercard of an Oscar De La Hoya fight in the MGM Grand Arena to fighting the Golden Boy himself?his idol?in the main event in the same hotel this year.
?Naaalala ko pa po noong taong 2001, June 22 to be exact, nang una kong makasama at makita si Oscar De La Hoya sa isang promotion, sa weigh-in ng kanya-kanya naming laban. Siya ang main event sa laban at ako ang isa sa undercard,? Pacquiao wrote in his column at Philboxing.com.
It was in that June 22 fight that Pacquiao broke into the US boxing scene. Taking his fight with Lehlo Ledwaba on just two weeks notice.
?Oscar was fighting for the WBC light middleweight title against Javier Castillejo while I was facing the vaunted African Lehlo Ledwaba for the IBF super bantamweight championship,? Pacquiao wrote in Filipino. ?Maituturing na baguhan pa lang ako sa pandaigdigang audience noong panahon na iyon. Speak little English pa ako noon.?
Pacquiao pummeled Ledwaba in six rounds and went on to face the biggest name in his division in Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera in the next six years before earning a date with De La Hoya this Dec. 6.
Funny
?It?s funny that after seven and a half years, me and Oscar De La Hoya will be facing each other in the biggest event for 2008 in the same hotel in Las Vegas Nevada,? Pacquiao said. ?He was the 154-pound champion seven years ago. I was the 122-pound champion that time.?
Pacquiao added that he has long admired De La Hoya for the Golden Boy?s skills and ring savvy.
Idol
?Seven years more from 2001 and 25 pounds heavier, I will face the man who I admired most for his speed and wisdom in the ring. Oscar and I will be fighting for boxing?s most glorious win in the 147-pound limit,? he said.
According to Pacquiao, in order to win his fight with De La Hoya, he must remember his roots citing the famous quote of a national hero of a bygone era?Jose Rizal.
?Para tayo ay magwagi dito sa laban na ito, importante para sa akin ang maging mapagkumbaba at ang pagbalik-tanaw sa aking nakaraan, gaya noong araw ng aking unang laban sa US at sa pay-per-view. Ang taong hindi marunong tumanaw sa pinanggalingan, hindi makakarating sa paroroonan. Naniniwala po ako diyan,? he said.
