I THINK the time has come for Manny Pacquiao to hang up his gloves. He has reached the apex of his boxing career. He is already a living legend.
Manny should forget the farcical and mislabeled “Battle for Greatness/Fight of the Century” with Floyd Mayweather Jr. The latter has thumbed down a rematch. If Manny fights again after a long layoff from shoulder surgery and at age 37, his prospect of recapturing past glory would appear bleak.
Manny should rest on his laurels, assured of the high regard given him by boxing fans. In an online poll conducted by thesweetscience.com in 2009, wherein 500,000 boxing fans took part, Manny finished second only to Sugar Ray Robinson as the World’s Greatest Ever Boxer by grabbing 56 percent of the votes. He was also a unanimous choice as world’s greatest-ever featherweight boxer. This will debunk Mayweather’s arrogant claim that he is TBE (The Best Ever).
Manny will surely be enshrined in the Boxing Hall of Fame. He is the only boxer who has won world titles in eight weight divisions. The Boxing Writers Association of America proclaimed him Fighter of the Decade (2000-2009) and 2009 Fighter of the Year, an accolade he also got from ESPN and Ring Magazine. He has been recognized as the best pound-for-pound boxer on various occasions.
Manny is leaving behind a legacy of being the “People’s Champ.” He has given honor, pride and inspiration to our country and countrymen through his display of grit, determination, perseverance and uncommon skill. He has shown that there is a place in the sun for someone coming from a very poor background.
However, fame and fortune are fleeting unless properly handled and hubris is warded off. Manny should count his blessings and enjoy family life with his pretty wife and five children. He could be of greater service to his fellow Filipinos in another capacity that is within his capability to dispense.
—JUAN PANDY,
14 Malumanay St.,
UP Village, Quezon City