Pacquiao’s transitions

THERE WAS little doubt as to the outcome of the Pacquiao-Mosley fight Sunday. Early on, as Mosley began backing out of Pacquiao’s reach, a stance he would adopt for much of the game, it was obvious who was out gunning for a win, and who was there merely to last all 12 rounds with life and dignity intact.

Before the match itself, I was heartened by the sportsmanlike behavior of both protagonists. Unlike in other fights where both boxers engaged in trash talk and tried to promote themselves by taking down their opponent, both Pacquiao and Mosley remained above the fray, surprisingly gentlemanly to the end. I nursed a little hope that such civil behavior would continue on to the ring on Sunday, but then quickly came to the conclusion that boxing was no sport for wimps.

Still, the end of the match, when it did come with a unanimous win on points for the Pac-man from GenSan, was anti-climactic at best. As the papers said the next day, “this time, the fans didn’t have much fun.” There was no dramatic second-round knock-out as in the fight against Hatton, or even a bloody, heated match-up that left even the most good-looking Mexican faces a bloody pulp.

Maybe the fight against Sugar Shane was much too “sweet” to make for compelling boxing. Or perhaps the age of both fighters is now making itself felt. Or it could be that Pinoy blood lust has just become too overwhelming that we’re no longer satisfied with a victory for Pacquiao, and demand no less than total annihilation.

But, as gamblers say, we’ll take what we’re given. Pacquiao has once more avoided disaster, and the Filipino nation has just closely dodged a terrible blow to its sense of self-esteem.

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FAMILY members commented gleefully on the streets free from traffic on Pacquiao-Mosley Day. Most Filipinos stayed home to watch the fight or to join thousands of other boxing fans in public venues, whether these be arenas owned by local governments seeking to court public favor, or restaurants, theaters and commercial outlets seeking to cash in on Pac-Man fever.

Not being fervid boxing fans, or Pacquiao followers, my own immediate family stayed home and decided to simply follow the fight on free TV. But so tiresome were the pre-fight matches and endless commercials that we switched to a radio broadcast, thereby finding out the outcome of the match about an hour before the TV coverage of the Pacquiao-Mosley fight began.

So that’s why the anti-climactic nature of the bout was underscored all the more by those depending on free TV. Even though we knew that Pacquiao eventually emerged victorious, we still wanted to watch every detail, especially the more nail-biting moments. But the commercials, piled one on top of the other as the minutes ticked by, became so annoying that I mentally compiled a list of the sponsors so that I would know what products to avoid.

But as the rest of the family reminded me: Without these sponsors, we wouldn’t even have the chance to watch the bout on free TV. Thank God for small favors, indeed.

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SOME commentators say the reason Pacquiao is such a revered figure in boxing circles is that he has single-handedly maintained public and media interest in the sport of boxing.

Without the Pac-Man’s quest for more and more titles in more and more weight divisions, boxing would be a “dead” sport now, what with rapidly waning interest, ratings and of course earnings. So overwhelming have newer and more brutal variations of boxing like UFC have become, that they now capture a major chunk of the audience. Only Pacquiao remains a major bankable boxing draw in the United States and elsewhere. In fact, even the mayor of Las Vegas was drawn to wax enthusiastically about the Pinoy boxer’s presence in his city, and his promoters’ decision to hold the fight there.

So while Pacquiao’s unbroken record of victories is important to build up the morale of the country as a whole, it is equally important to the sport of boxing. Fans need heroes, and at the moment, Pacquiao is one such hero. This goes without saying, too, that in his pursuit of boxing fame, Pacquiao has managed to knock down not a few other aspirants to boxing heroism.

Which is why, if I may return to a refrain echoed in this space, I hope Pacquiao decides to retire soon. Not just for the sake of his wife, children and especially his mother, but also for all of us who it seems are no longer able to “take” a possible Pacquiao defeat. Given the odds, it seems impossible for Pac-Man to continue his winning streak for very long. So, step down from the throne before the inevitable happens.

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A FINAL word about Pacquiao’s dedication of his fight this time to his “Fight against Poverty.” It’s a pretty smart move to cash in on his fame and the emotions he rouses among followers and channel these to a good cause.

Perhaps we wouldn’t have seen such a move from Pacquiao, the mere boxer. And it took a transition to Pacquiao, the congressma, to bring out the philanthropist and do-gooder in him.

So even if Pacquiao decides not to step out of the ring yet, I’m all for it so long as he manages to transform his fame into good works. Would anyone have expected a boxer to urge his fans to support him in the “fight of my life,” the fight versus poverty?

I hope we’re just seeing the beginnings of yet another journey for Manny Pacquiao—from champion boxer to champion of the poor. Not a bad transition for a man who has undergone so many amazing transitions in such a few years.