MANILA, Philippines – Prized pugilist Manny Pacquiao was obviously touched by the reception he got from people upon his return to Manila early this morning, Dec. 12.
He admitted thinking “wala nang sasalubong” considering his defeat in the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez a few days ago. But seeing the crowd at the airport, he said “para akong dalawang beses nanalo sa Amerika.”
He went on to personally thank all those present including Senators Bong Revilla and Gringo Honasan and Congressman Jayvee Ejercito, among others.
Looking very fresh and even unscathed, Pacquiao shared insights on his loss.
“Du’n sa nakaraang laban ko eh, ginawa natin ang lahat ng ating makakaya,” he said. “Hindi naman tayo nabugbog o kung ano in fact, lamang pa nga tayo but ganuon talaga ang boxing, may disgrasya talaga.”
He described the punch that felled him as a “very good” one. “Natiyempuhan tayo, but anyway pasalamat din ako sa Lord na walang nangyari [mas masama] sa akin.”
He admitted watching the replay several times, revealing that he didn’t know how badly he was hurt until he saw himself falling like a log face first on the canvas.
“Hindi ko naman alam kung ano ang nangyari eh,” he said with a seemingly bitter smile.
“Hindi ko alam na bumagsak pala ako na nakauna ang mukha ko,” he added. “Nalaman ko [na nakatulog ako] nu’ng nakatihaya na ako at marami nang tao sa harapan ko.”
In the end however, he said, “ganu’n talaga. Kasama sa larangan ng boxing ‘yan eh. Kailangan buong pusong tanggapin.”
He said that he had his reasons in taking on a more aggressive stance against a good counter-puncher like Marquez.
“Kasi gusto ko makita ng tao ‘yung bagsik ko,” he said. “May iba kasi sabi ‘Ah, si Manny wala na ‘yung anger,’ ‘wala na ‘yung tapang ni Manny sa ring,’ ‘wala na ‘yung killer instict niya.’ Pinakita ko na andu’n pa rin ‘yun. Pero kung ako lang mas gustuhin ko na hindi ako aggresive pag counter puncher ang kalaban ko, pero lucky punch lang talaga.”
Pacquiao admits that as much as the loss hurt him, he felt even more for those who came to support him.
“Ang gusto ko kasi mapasaya lang lagi sila [fans]. ‘Yun lang ang gusto kong mapasaya ang mga kababayan natin, ang aking mga fans, kaya nu’ng nakita ko nag-iyakan sila du’n din ako nasaktan. Syempre ayaw ko mangyari ‘yun na malungkot ang mga fans ko especially lalo na ‘yung familya ko,” he explained.
“Nasaktan ako at nabigo ko sila, pero, like I said, babawi din tayo.”
Not yet over
In a separate interview with “Unang Hirit,” Pacquiao reiterated his intent to fight again in at least six months — although he wasn’t keen to name his next foe.
“Kung sino ibigay ng promoter ko iyong ang lalabanan ko,” he said. “[Pero] hindi pa kami nakapag-usap ni Bob Arum ukol sa next fight.”
Pacquiao vows to not make the same mistakes he made the last time out.
“Matinding paghahanda ang gagawin natin ‘pag mayroon na tayo uling schedule at laong mas maingat pa tayo,” he said.
“Pagbuthin pa natin ‘yung training natin, pagbutihan pa lalo ang paghahanda natin,” he added.
But the boxer’s wife has another idea, intimating to the press that she would continue pressing for her husband to retire from the sport.
“Siguro i-pagpray ko kay Lord na he will talk to Manny na makapag-decide siya ng para sa kabutihan niya,” Jinkee Pacquiao said in the same interview.
“Huminto na lang siya, she added. “[Siyempre we should remain positive above all but] ayaw namin hintayin na kung ano pa mangyari sa kanya.”
For now, she is adamant for her husband to visit his doctors before anything else.
“Wala kaming gagawin sa araw na ito, diretso na kami sa Cardinal Santos [Memorial Hospital],” she said.
