“Adversity introduces a man to himself.”
It seems that controversy, poor advice or questionable decision-making continues to hound Manny Pacquiao. First, he was in the middle of a tug-of-war between Top Rank Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions. Then, there was the question of whether or not Jorge Solis was the proper opponent for him. Members of his camp were quoted in the papers saying that Pacquiao was burning himself out while campaigning (even before he filed his certificate of candidacy) and training at the same time. Then, ABS-CBN did not meet his price for the TV coverage of the Solis fight. This was followed by the injunction filed by Golden Boy in an attempt to stop the fight. Fortunately for Pacquiao, the WBC stepped in and told Golden Boy and new WBC super featherweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez that he had to face the Pacman.
What was perhaps very awkward after that was the report that Pacquiao and Bob Arum were claiming that ABS-CBN was trying to sabotage the Solis fight because they did not get the broadcast rights. Of course, ABS-CBN’s spokesman, Bong Osorio, denied these claims, emphasizing that it was a business decision not to pay the whopping rights fee.
It is rather unfortunate that, without stating his evidence, Pacquiao is joining Arum’s chorus. It betrays a lack of sophistication, akin to threatening to beat up someone who criticizes you or compares you unfavorable with other Filipino boxers.
Why would Pacquiao stoop that low? Doesn’t he realize that, in the small broadcasting community in the Philippines, he will eventually have to deal with ABS-CBN, which did treat him extremely well in the past? Or is Top Rank banking on the fact that the WBC international super featherweight champion is overwhelmingly popular in the Philippines, no matter what he does? Are they thinking that, because of his stature, everything he does can easily be forgiven with the promise of a future big contract?
It is unbecoming of a boxer in the prime of his career to cast about allegations without substance. It looks even worse when it is proven that someone else has been feeding that line. Pacquiao has enough on his hands, anyway. Why add to his troubles?
It has already become common knowledge that Pacquiao insiders feel that he doesn’t listen to sound advice from the people who care about him the most, that he takes it as a personal affront when someone close to him disagrees with him, at times refusing to speak to the offender for weeks.
What does it benefit a man – who is supposedly on top of the world – to badmouth a past business partner, to accuse him of petty intrigue?
The fact of the matter is that Manny has enough distractions on his mind to have to listen to people telling him this or that about people or organizations who also show an interest in doing business with him. It is sad that, for Bob Arum, the bottom line is always who pays Pacquiao more, who is giving him the “better” deal, who will supposedly make him richer. At the end of the day, if Pacquiao loses to Solis, what will his money all mean? If Manny loses, he will also lose his title shot. Then what?
The problem with being Pacman is that you don’t know who is telling you the truth, who is being honest with you, who cares for your welfare, instead of being in your good graces, or wading in your deep pockets.
There are many things that fame and fortune can buy, and goodwill is one of them. True, if he continues winning, people may just forget all his bad behavior, and the folly of his running for Congress. But he is gradually entering territory where people will not so easily forgive, or plot their revenge against him in secret.
It would serve him well to remember the bitter lesson learned by Michael Jordan with the Washington Wizards. Jordan thought he was the king of the hill, even offending the owners of the team when he was president. Then, when he decided to come out of retirement again, they let him, closing the boardroom door behind him, permanently. Little did Jordan know that he had forever given up his executive position, only realizing it two years later, when he finally, finally hung up his sneakers.
The problem with being Pacman is that money buys a lot of friends, and they look like real ones. Remember Don King, stepping over the prone form of one of his own fallen heavyweight contenders to congratulate the fighter who had knocked him out? What would prevent something similar from happening to Pacquiao down the road?
Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
