Pacman

You might be reading this piece just as Manny Pacquiao is beating up Chris Algieri in Macau in what should be a copy and paste job of the Pacquiao-Rios fight, which was also held in the same place awhile back. The question going around is not about whether or not Pacquiao will win, but how he’ll win over the tall and good-looking Algieri, who many feel doesn’t belong in the ring beside the Pacman. So what will we see? Will Algieri present much of a challenge for the Pacman since the American is taller and is technically good as a boxer? Is he as good as the Pacman’s previous opponents like Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley, Antonio Margarito or Miguel Cotto?

My guess is that the fight will look like Pacman-Rios all over again. The shorter Pacman will bank on his handspeed, footwork and bunch of punches to hit and frustrate Algieri from every angle. Pacquiao will surprise Algieri with the quickness of his jab and left straight and occasional hooks to the body. The Pacman will also slip away from danger just as Algieri launches a counter, making him look like a lost boxer. Algieri will be too slow and won’t be able to keep up with the busier and moving Pacman, unless of course the boxing Congressman allows himself to get hit just to get the crowd going. Algieri will look like a beaten fighter at the end of the fight which will most likely go the distance. Sure, Algieri will manage to land a few punches here and there. After all, defense hasn’t been Pacquiao’s calling card his entire career. He doesn’t mind getting hit just to land stinging combinations of his own in reply.

If there’s a “weakness” that Pacquiao has, it may be the fact that he hasn’t knocked out his opponent in his past six wins or since 2009. In fact, he ended up being knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez in the most embarrassing loss of his career. He didn’t put away guys like Juan Manuel Marquez, Tim Bradley (two fights), Joshua Clottey, Bambam Rios and Antonio Margarito. But is Pacquiao’s power really fading? Has his lost his “killer” ways of putting people to sleep? The irony of it all is that it’s a combination of two things. First, Pacquiao may indeed be losing a step and a little power with age. But we must also give credit where it’s due. Pacquiao’s past opponents are top-class boxers who are not known to lose by knock-out. They’re as tough as nails and can take the biggest punches of any boxer out there. Pacquiao’s not being able to finish off opponents is seen as a sign of someone diminishing and slowing down. The sad part is that boxing fans want to see Pacquiao knock out his opponents or beat his foes black and blue in the same way he mowed past Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Oscar de la Hoya, Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito.

At the end of the day, it’s going to be just another day in the office for Pacquiao. He’ll most likely earn another 20 million dollars (or more) and prepare himself for the other challenges up ahead such his work as a congressman and his new job as a coach of the Kia Sorento team in the PBA. Pacquiao will be the ultimate entertainer, lawmaker and basketball hero all rolled into one with Pinoys drooling in awe at his Superman-like traits. We haven’t even talked about his foray into showbiz. Because of all this, he gets away with doing things that others can’t do. Due to his immense popularity, he gets to win in an elections, regardless of what people say about his capability to be a lawmaker and legislator. Who would’ve thought he would also make it to the PBA? Didn’t we all dream of making it to the big leagues when we were young basketball players? But there’s an exception to the rule, isn’t there? His name is Manny Pacquiao, the mid-30-year-old PBA rookie and coach who is living his dream, again, regardless of what you might think about his talents and skills as a basketball player.

It’s all in the name, and even the PBA has been beaten by his “charm.” Some are saying that this is all turning into a joke. But we’re all following this real-life drama unfold right before our very eyes. We follow every move, question it, but eventually live with it. Some wish that he sticks to boxing and forget politics, showbiz and the PBA, but it looks like it’s not going to happen. So I guess we’ll have to let it be and make history be the judge.

When it’s all over, I wonder what Pacquiao will want to be recognized for. For me, one thing for sure is that he’s the country’s best boxer, pound-for-pound in the history of Philippine boxing. No more. No less.

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Time-out: Have fun and raise funds for charity at the Christmas Fair of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu: Sunday, November 30. The Holy Mass starts at 7:45 a.m. Game booths open after with a whole day of fun set for everyone.