The man called Pop

NEW YORK–He strikes you as a gruff, tough and no-nonsense guy who minces no words in speaking his mind. But behind the rugged exterior, Rod Nazario is just a soft-hearted, doting father figure of uncrowned world featherweight boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.

Nazario, 68, is fondly called "Pop" by Pacquiao’s US promoter Murad Muhammad. Apparently, the nickname has stuck. Muhammad’s executive vice president and right-hand man Ronald Salahuddin also calls him Pop–with due respect, of course. So does International Boxing Federation (IBF) president Marian Muhammad.

To those who know him in Philippine boxing circles, he’s Mang Rod.

I had a rare chance to speak lengthily with Nazario for over an hour while waiting for breakfast in the Marriott Hotel suite provided by Muhammad before proceeding to a meeting at the Home Box Office (HBO) network headquarters last Monday.

It was 7:30 in the morning. In Manila, you wouldn’t be able to sit down with Nazario for more than 10 minutes straight because of interruptions from phone calls or visitors. He’s one of the country’s most influential figures in sports, if only because he manages Pacquiao’s career. No athlete in Philippine history has earned as much as Pacquiao from sports and he’s only 25 years old. Pacquiao is a gold strike and it’s Nazario’s job to make sure it’s mined properly.

Nazario’s father Cesario of Kawit, Cavite, was in the office and school supplies business. He loved sports, particularly boxing, and promoted fight cards in the post-war era. His father was a star athlete at the University of the Philippines and was proficient in swimming, volleyball, boxing, basketball and wrestling.

It was his father who influenced Nazario’s love for sports. Nazario studied at San Beda where he met his close friend Benigno (Ninoy) Aquino in grade school. He enrolled at Brown Military Institute in San Diego and made it to the varsity basketball squad, earning first team Southeast California high school honors. Nazario recalled playing against giants on the court.

At Brown, Nazario often violated curfew to watch his idol Archie Moore, a San Diego native, fight in local cards. He used to sneak in and out of the military campus alone to go to the stadium.

Back in Manila, Nazario reenrolled in San Beda as a collegiate freshman and tried out for the varsity under coach Fely Fajardo. His teammates included Cesar Jota, Eddie Pacheco and Bonnie Carbonell. But a disagreement with Fajardo led to his exit from the team. Because Fajardo held another job, he called practice at 5 a.m. and Nazario was often late.

Nazario, one of six children and four boys, went on to study at the University of the East before immersing himself in the boxing business. His barkada growing up included Aquino, Chit Pineda and Silvestre Borja.

Nazario played for 7-Up in the MICAA with the likes of Nap Flores and Fred Sagarbarria in 1956. He also teamed with Charlie Badion in a squad sponsored by his father’s company in a YMCA tournament.

But Nazario’s focus on sports eventually centered on boxing. Since he was 16, Nazario helped out his father in boxing promotions. So he learned the ropes at a young age. His first fighter was featherweight Paulito Escarlan who never became a champion but was a crowd pleaser. "Malakas at matapang, sangkalan nga lang," chuckled Nazario.

A block away from the Nazarios’ home in Caloocan, his father housed several fighters–including the legendary Tanny Campo–in a family apartment.

In 1962, Nazario began promoting fights with his friends Lito Mondejar and Moy Lainez who opened the L&M gym in Sampaloc the year before He managed Mark (The Rock) Cotillon, Young Terror and Lulu Villaverde but none made it as a world champion. Nazario was involved in the business affairs of former world junior lightweight champion Ben Villaflor but not to the extent of managing his career.

"My gratification from being involved in boxing is when I see my fighters win," he said. "I enjoy sports, all sports. Boxing is and will always be No. 1. But I also watch basketball and tennis on TV. I’ve enjoyed sports since I was a kid. I get a good deal of satisfaction, natutuwa ako, when my fighter wins. It’s a sense of accomplishment that the fighter succeeds."

Nazario said he worries about fighters when their careers are over. He cited Rolando Navarrete’s case. "My only disappointment in boxing is when I see former fighters not doing well after they retire," he said.

As for Pacquiao, Nazario said the kid is one in over a million. "Matulungin si Manny," continued Nazario. "Wala pa akong nakikitang taong lumapit sa kanya na natanggihan. I just hope he takes care of his money and invests it wisely. He has a mind of his own. Sometimes, he asks my advice but he decides for himself."

Nazario said in the business of boxing, he knows there are sleazy operators who try to sow intrigue. "National treasure si Manny kaya dapat alagaan natin," he said. "Ang wish ko lang is huwag kaming ma-misunderstand. Kung minsan, may mga writer na pinagaaway kami at nagsusulat ng hindi katotohanan. I do what is best for Manny. Siya ang tumataya ng kanyang buhay sa loob ng ring."

In dealing with Muhammad, Nazario said he has encountered no problem. "When we brought Manny to the US, I knew he would be a hit because his style is what the fans like," said Nazario. "But it was only Murad who gave him a chance. When Murad negotiates a fight for Manny, he asks me how much will I be happy with? Then I set the price. The only exception was the fight against (Jorge Eliecer) Julio because the promoter could only afford $70,000 kasi malaki ang binayad kina (Lennox) Lewis at (Mike) Tyson. Naiintindihan namin si Murad kasi his goal was to expose Manny to the world. Nagbigay naman siya ng bonus of about $40,000 kay Manny after the fight. Now, Murad wants to make Manny a pay-per-view fighter but he can only do that if he beats (Juan Manuel) Marquez then (Erik) Morales."

Nazario said he is "pihikan" when it comes to choosing fighters he likes but singled out Oriental minimumweight champion Rodel Mayol as a future world champion.

Nazario, who is married to Supreme Court Justice Minita Chico, has seven children. Oldest son Roberto or Boying, 47, is in charge of stock trading for a bank in San Francisco where he lives with his family. Another son Roderick is a doctor specializing in internal medicine, pulmonary diseases and critical conditions in Orlando. A third son Dodie takes care of the Wild Card gym recently inaugurated in B.F. Parañaque. Youngest son Romel, 33, is a car dealer. Daughter Merceditas operates an advertising company and owns a line of gumball machines in malls.

Another daughter Myra works at the Gap store in the Bay Area. And youngest child Karen, 31, has retired as a Saudia flight attendant to join her husband, a vice president for an insurance company, on assignment in Paris.

Occasionally, you will hear Mang Rod bark at Pacquiao, scold and lecture him. It’s how you expect a father to treat a son because that’s exactly their relationship. Nazario only wants the best for Pacquiao not because he’s his business manager but because he means so much to the Filipino people.