Manny went down swinging

LAS VEGAS – It was a gallant way to go down. Manny Pacquiao never stopped swinging in losing to Juan Manuel Marquez by knockout in their fourth meeting at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here Saturday night.

Pacquiao was in fact on the attack when Marquez landed a short right to the jaw that sent the Filipino face down on the canvas. Trainer Freddie Roach called it a two-inch punch because the blow came from extremely short range as Pacquiao was on the way in. The impact of the blow was accentuated by the forward movement of Pacquiao’s head. The collision was as explosive as a dynamite blast. Pacquiao was knocked out cold, reminiscent of his loss to Rustico Torrecampo in 1996.

There was no doubt Pacquiao looked for a knockout from the start. He was the aggressor, charging in with almost reckless abandon like he used to when he bowled over the likes of Erik Morales, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao promised before the fight, he would resurrect the warrior of a few years back, when he was in his 20s. That was when Pacquiao’s reflexes were sharp, when his punches packed the kick of a mule and when his focus was extremely dedicated to boxing.

Turning back the hands of time proved to be easier said than done. For a while, Pacquiao stormed Marquez like a freight train moving full speed ahead. He paid a price for it in the third round when a wayward right dropped him on the seat of his pants. But Roach said it was no cause for concern as Pacquiao was probably more embarrassed than hurt. Then came the fifth stanza when Pacquiao dropped Marquez with a left straight and pinned him in a corner, raining blows from all angles. Roach thought Kenny Bayless would jump in but the referee held back.

Pacquiao’s confidence got a major boost when Marquez finished the fifth on rubbery legs. He was badly shaken and Pacquiao knew it. Pacquiao answered the bell for the sixth with the intent to finish off Marquez. He was in fifth gear when Marquez countered with a short right that caught Pacquiao flush on the jaw. It was the end of an all-action war.

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Pacquiao did a lot of things differently. First, he led off with the left instead of the right jab. Pacquiao probably felt that his patented right jab-left straight combination was something Marquez prepared for so he wanted to be unpredictable. He lashed out with a left lead and found the mark more often than not. The tactic worked until Marquez adjusted his defense.

Second, he hardly went side to side. Pacquiao usually glides laterally to create angles and puncture an opponent’s defense from awkward positions. Instead of moving side to side, Pacquiao went straight up and attacked Marquez with little caution. It was like Pacquiao had no respect for Marquez’ power. He wanted an engagement, a toe-to-toe brawl. In Pacquiao’s mind, it was either he or Marquez would get knocked out. Marquez’ souped-up body didn’t appear to faze Pacquiao.

And third, he didn’t expect Marquez to adjust quickly to his left lead by countering over it. When Pacquiao threw the left, Marquez retaliated on the recoil. Because Pacquiao hardly moved side to side, he became an easy target for Marquez.

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How Pacquiao will recover from the devastating loss is a test of his faith. Despite the setback, Pacquiao will forever be known as one of the greatest fighters of all time, the only boxer to capture world titles in eight different divisions – it could’ve been 10 if he didn’t skip the superflyweight and bantamweight classes, moving directly from flyweight (112 pounds) to superbantamweight (122). Is it time to retire? Has the gruelling grind of a long career finally taken its toll?

Now that he has tasted a painful defeat, it will also be a test for those who take advantage of his generosity. Will they still be rabid followers now that Pacquiao has fallen from his pedestal? For the Marquez fight, Pacquiao spent $1.5 million in tickets to give away and also paid for 60 round-trip plane fares and 40 hotel rooms in Las Vegas. The defeat will reflect on his marketability, both as a fighter and a commercial endorser. He’ll take home at least $25 million for facing Marquez last Saturday but if he continues fighting, what will his next bout be worth? And if he no longer earns as much as he used to, will his entourage stay on?

Now more than ever, we should rally behind Pacquiao and show him what he means to all Filipinos. Whatever he chooses to do, we should support his decision. For years, Pacquiao has been the symbol of Pinoy pride. That is something not even a loss to Marquez will ever take away. We are blessed that in our lifetime, a Manny Pacquiao came along and brought honor to our country in a way that nobody ever did before. Whether he is Catholic or a born-again Christian, Pacquiao will be immortalized as a legend in his own time.