“What’s the deal with Pacquiao’s Fans?”
That’s the question I got in an email from a young, 17-year-old fan the other day.
Actually, I’ve asked myself that very same question ever since Manny Pacquiao emerged on the world scene and became a real, elite fighter with a superstar aura.
Coinciding with Pacquiao’s win over Oscar De la Hoya and increasing with each and every subsequent victory, Pacquiao fans have attacked message boards and comment sections of articles with an aggressive nastiness absolutely unprecedented in the sport.
Personally, I’ve been around boxing for over thirty years and have written for eight difference boxing sites and I’ve never seen such mean-spirited comments and attacks.
In a recent article I wrote about long-reigning title holders, Pacquiao fans were outraged that Manny was not on my Top 10 list (despite the fact that Manny has only made two defenses of his current title) and these are just some of the comments left by those outraged at the exclusion:
“paul mango a mexican @#$% box commentator lol. list of bullshit.”
“Who is this Foul Magno, a magno-nimous trying hard sports writer / commentator? Shame on you.. Your boxing fan siblings are shreiking with shame on your ignorance in the boxing sports.”
“FOOL MANGO is a licensed official of garbage collector”
“yet doesn’t know the sport of boxing, she’s very desperate and very envious to pacman’s unique art of excellence in boxing…i pity you paul magno….”
“paul magno is such a stupid journalist! booohhhh!”
And this was a very tame example of what is normally left. Usually, things drift into racial slurs and nastier personal attacks.
Having a difference of opinion is fine and lord knows I enjoy a reasonable debate. I don’t proclaim to be always right, but I do come by my beliefs honestly and I have no vested interest in tearing down or building up anyone. I personally answer all my mail and, unlike most writers, try to comment fairly on reasonable remarks left on my articles. So, really, there’s absolutely no need for the nastiness.
Of course, this doesn’t describe all of Pacquiao’s fan base. There are some very well-reasoned, thoughtful and respectful fans that have written to me over the years and I have enjoyed the intelligent debate in the comment section of my articles. However, those intelligent voices get drowned out by those who spew hate and actually seem proud of their ignorant attacks. It often gets so bad that any Pacquiao or Mayweather article is almost guaranteed to not produce anything even resembling intelligent discourse.
Mayweather fanatics, for all their own faults and blind spots, are nowhere near as abjectly offensive as those who profess to love Manny because the Filipino hero is, in their own words, “an ideal role model” for them to follow.
Many of those who pollute the internet with hate-filled, homophobic, racist attacks will then turn around and proudly proclaim that they love Manny because he is so humble, forgiving, and respectful.
It just boggles the mind how the idol and his fans could be so different.
A basic concept in debate is that the first to begin calling names is the loser in any argument– it means that this person has run out of ideas and workable logic.
And, make no mistake about it, the case for Manny Pacquiao, is very easy to argue.
Pacquiao is a phenomenal athlete, pound for pound kingpin, and has had a long and illustrious career. I supported his placement as Fighter of the Decade and voted for him three times as Fighter of the Year. There are plenty of pro-Pacquiao facts with which to have a reasonable, honest debate. So, I really don’t understand those without the courage of their conviction, who just choose to name call, attack, and try to ruin someone’s livelihood.
It’s not very Christian and it’s not very Pacquiao-like at all.
Now that I’m done with this piece, I’ll just sit back and wait for the wave of hateful comments to fill up the comment section.
