MANILA, Philippines?Bigger than all his great wins, all his seven world championships combined.
That, in a golden nutshell, was how an ecstatic Manny Pacquiao rated his latest triumph.
It was another sensational knockout, fine, but this definitely counts as his most significant stoppage.
Do remember that he had to get up from the floor?he suffered a nasty dumping in his first try?after he failed in his bid for Congress three years ago.
Now, call it a comeback win, a vengeful knockout, but Pacquiao was at his sharpest best when he captured a dream seat in the House of Representatives on Monday.
He stopped and beat highly favored Roy Chiongbian.
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?That owes to be the greatest achievement of my career,? Pacquiao was quoted by premier international matchmaker Bob Arum as saying.
But how really big was the election win?
?On June 30, Manny will be sworn into office and we are planning a worldwide telecast of the swearing in,? Arum told Fightnews.com. ?These are very exciting times. When we knew he won the election, Manny told me that it made him so happy, even more than the big victories in the ring.?
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What else, sir?
?He next told me something that really touched me. He said, ?Bob, I am so proud of what I have accomplished.??
When someone says that to you, Arum said, you know it was a life-long dream of his.
?He pulled it off and I am so happy for him. I have never seen anything like it and to me it?s the pinnacle.?
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Was it the change of venue?Pacquiao lost miserably in his first political bout in General Santos City?or the change in strategy and style that did it?
Arum, terribly amazed at Pacquiao?s phenomenal political comeback, swore he would not be too surprised if the world?s best boxer ends up President of the Philippines.
?When he?s 35 he can run for Senate and when he?s 40, I am sure he will be President of the Philippines. He is special and we in boxing are lucky to have him as part of the sport.?
Arum, noting how Pacquiao had been underrated in the run-up to Monday?s polls, could be having the last laugh.
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?Everybody said he was crazy, spending his own money,? Arum noted. ?Manny is so humble and so soft-spoken, you think, how can he be a politician? Then you go to his rally, and you hear him speak in the native dialect and he gives a rousing speech that brings the crowd to its feet. It is tremendous to hear him speak, even though you don?t even understand a word.?
Arum learned another amazing thing.
?There are seven major dialects in the Philippines and Manny Pacquiao can speak every one of them.?
