The irony of the underdog

Manny Pacquiao is an underdog once again, just like when he fought Marco Antonio Barerra. I remember watching that fight. I took a chair and rest my chin over my hands on the back rest and waited an agonizing three or four hours for that fight. Barerra seemed indestructible. I didn’t even see it coming until his coach threw in a white towel to end the fight at round 11. But the stakes were different. Barerra was not as tall as Oscar De La Hoya nor was he bigger or at least as big as Oscar. Barerra too did not win ten world championships; he was not a gold medal Olympian, or at least an Olympian, as Oscar is. And as to Manny, he was unknown and therefore was not taken seriously (watching that fight, I could almost hear Barerra cursing the unkown Pacquiao who landed him fists in any direction).

Oscar De La Hoya’s record shows, out of his 39 professional fights, he lost five times. Out of the 34 fights he won all 30 by knock-out. That leaves only four fights to have out-lasted the 12 rounds. As to Manny’s, out of 52 fights, he lost trice, drawn twice, and won 47 times. out of the 47 wins, he won by knock-out 35 times. That translates to 12 fights to have out-lasted 12 rounds.

Most boxing fans around the world believes Pacquiao could not beat De la Hoya. A $185 bet would only give those who will bet for De la Hoya $100 while those who will put their money on Pacquiao will win $155 for every $100 bet.

Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns, Julio Ceasar Chavez, Ricky Hatton, David Diaz, and boxing trainer Angelo Dundee believe De la Hoya will win the fight. But boxing legend Roberto Duran believes otherwise. He thinks Pacquiao will win because he has been extremely active. “It seems like he is always training and fighting.” Unlike De la Hoya who has not been very active in recent years.

I watched some clippings from youtube of De la Hoya’s fights and I am nervous for Pacquiao. Oscar’s hands are, indeed, long. He also punches and moves very fast. How about if he comes toe to toe with Manny matching speed with speed, like Juan Manuel Marquez did? Marquez hurt Pacquiao many times. Lucky for Pacquio, it was the smaller, lighter, and less stronger Marquez who hit him. If De la Hoya could hit Pacquiao like Marquez, I think Pacquiao will be over.

But unlike Marquez, Oscar De la Hoya has an injured rotator cuff, or so two-time Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach believes. Roach said, it is that injury that disabled De la Hoya to throw his stinging left jab at Floyd Mayweather after the 6th round of their fight, which in the end cost him the fight. Standard Today’s reviews of some of De la Hoya’s fights have shown occasions when he has, in between round, rested his left hand on the shoulder of his trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. “He clearly did that after the eight round of the Hopkins fight and got knocked out in the ninth,” says the report. The injury may explain the use of acupuncture during his training and the constant massages of his left shoulder.

Of course, that fear arise because I look at Manny Pacquiao as static, or as he was, not as he is. He keeps on training and honing his boxing skills to perfection. If De la Hoya’s punches carry more force because he is heavier, Pacquiao’s additional 17 pounds from his usual 30 will have the same effect too. Pacquio knocked-out David Diaz at 135 pounds, I have to remind myself. De la Hoya’s reach advantage could always be overcome. But until tomorrow, December 6 (7 in Manila) arrives and the two modern gladiators step inside the ring and slug it out, we never know the outcome. We hope for victory, but no matter the result, Manny Pacquiao’s determination and faith are lifting the Filipino spirit constantly defeated: by poverty, by corruption in the government; and through out history, by war with the Spanish, the Japanese, and the Americans. For a change, we are winning (in the boxing ring). We can not but return the love and gratitude to the man, though always an underdog, make us proud.

'Manny means business'

Reader's Digest December 2008 issue with Manny Paquiao on its cover has 3 beautiful pictures of Manny inside. But if you have followed Manny for quite a while, and you bought the magazine expecting an in depth read about Manny, you will be disappointed because the article (where I get my title) tells what has been told about Manny over and over again. The article however reveals some details that I have only known until then, like:
1. That at the age of 12, he boxed on Sundays to earn fifty pesos;
2. That at the age of 15 he worked in a tailoring shop in Manila and trained from 5 pm; also he knows how to sew a shirt;
3. That he worked in a construction as a welder and painter, and on Sundays sell flowers in front of a church;
4. He obtained his license as a professional boxer by lying to the Games and Amusement Board that he was already 18 when in fact, he was only 16;
5. He still wants to become a congressman because people "idolize me in boxing. I want them to idolise me in terms of public service";
6. He thinks what the country needs most now are politicians "with big hearts to help the people who are suffering";
7. He takes up Business Management (in Notre Dame of Dadiangas University) because he wants his money to be in proper investments, and he wants to manage his money when he is no longer in boxing;
8. His favorite subject is philosophy and algebra--"which is very hard";
9. His plan for his children is for them to be a doctor or lawyer. "That's what we need in our lives, more doctors and lawyers". I was not sure though if he was referring to his family life or the Filipinos as a whole when he said "our lives."

I am afraid Manny is suffering from post traumatic stress. He can not get over knocking out people in the ring, he wants to knock out his opponents in politics and become a congressman. He knocked out Barerra, Morales, and Diaz. Now he is after Dela Hoya and plans to go after Ricky Hatton and hopefully Floyd Mayweather. After the House of Representatives, he will go after the senate, then vice-president, and hopefully, the president seats. He has a big heart that is why he believes he can become a congressman to punch suffering out once and for all. How? He does not say anything.

I can not comment any further except that I can not wait for December 6 (December 7 in Manila) to watch him fight Dela Hoya. I expect a knock-out from any of them, otherwise I will be very, very disappointed. I do not care in what round the knock-out will happen as long as it happens. Of course, I want Manny to win. Manny is the only reason why I read the sports page of our news paper everyday. If there is no article about Manny there, it is like there is no sports news.

I hope he knocks not only Oscar dela Hoya, but also Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather. Hell, I want him to knock-out every one in the ring. I mean, every one without exception, small or big foe alike. And I want him to become really, really rich. He is very generous anyway. But I do not want him to become a politician. Not now. Not until I hear him speak like Barack Obama.