Queuing for a piece of Manny

With the "Grand Finale" only 32 days away, Manny Pacquiao (MP) Promotions vice president for marketing Eric Pineda yesterday said the line is getting longer for advertisers bidding to place their product patches on the Pacman’s boxing shorts and robe.

Only three patches will be accommodated on Pacquiao’s shorts, said Pineda. And one has been committed to Café Puro whose owners Tony and Philip Huang are Pacquiao’s close friends.

"We’re putting together a list for Manny to consider," said Pineda. "It’s Manny’s decision which to choose. Manny’s the boss. He’s the man in charge and he makes all the decisions. We expect the final decision to be made a few weeks before the fight."

Pineda said Pacquiao is the hottest commercial endorser in the country today. The breakthrough came when he halted Erik Morales in Las Vegas last January. His marketability increased a hundred-fold after dealing Morales his first knockout loss, noted Pineda.

If and when Pacquiao disposes of Morales again in their rubber match on Nov. 18, Pineda said it will open bigger opportunities for the fighter as an international endorser. As it is, Pacquiao is already being positioned in the same league as fellow Nike endorsers Tiger Woods, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal. Surely, his marketability will be enhanced after another emphatic victory over Morales.

Pineda said a product he’s dreaming of for Pacquiao to endorse is a toothpaste.

"You wouldn’t believe it but Manny has never been to a dentist because he’s never had a cavity in his whole life," said Pineda. "He takes very good care of his teeth. He brushes at least thrice a day. He’s not fond of sweets so that helps in preventing cavities. One other thing, in his entire boxing career, none of his teeth has ever been dislodged. Just look at his teeth — they’re straight and they’re complete."

Pineda said he’s also looking around for an instant noodle brand and an oil company for Pacquiao.

"I don’t think Manny is oversold because the demand is still very, very high," said Pineda. "What makes Manny more marketable is his excellent public relations. Although he’s the richest Filipino athlete ever, he’s still the same Manny from General Santos City. He never turns down a request for an autograph or a pose for a picture. And he chooses to endorse only products he’s comfortable with, products he uses and really likes. That’s why he’s very loyal to the products he endorses, like McDonald’s. He doesn’t eat in any fastfood place except McDonald’s because he genuinely loves their food."

Pineda is a key member of Pacquiao’s "inner circle" which includes chief of staff Jayke Joson, boxing consultant Wakee Salud, lawyer Jing Gacal and international liaison officer Joe Ramos.

Pineda may be reached at telephone number 439-4389.

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The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) recently announced that Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games medalists will be automatically ranked in the top five of the Philippine ratings as an incentive for amateur standouts to turn pro. The GAB added it will lobby for Asian Games medalists to be ranked in the top 10 of the Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) ratings.

The medalists may also sign up for eight-round bouts as soon as they turn pro and will not be required to start from the bottom, meaning engaging in four-rounders where purses are smaller.

I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to hasten the transition process from amateur to pro. The transformation is radical and it will take time for an amateur to get used to fighting in the pros. Short-cuts could prove disastrous. Imagine if in his pro debut, a former amateur sensation is rushed into facing a veteran in an eight-rounder. No matter how outstanding his amateur record, a rookie pro will be taken to school by a grizzled veteran more often than not.

Take the case of 1956 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist Pete Rademacher. In his first pro bout, Rademacher challenged Floyd Patterson for the world heavyweight crown in 1957. Rademacher managed to floor Patterson once (it wasn’t such a feat considering Patterson’s rich history of taking trips to the canvas) but he was dropped six times and lost by a sixth round knockout. In his second fight, Rademacher went down four times and was stopped by Zora Folley in four.

Rademacher wound up his pro career without a crown and with an undistinguished 15-7-1 record in a five-year stint.

What about 1960 Olympic lightheavyweight gold medalist Cassius Clay, later to be renamed Muhammad Ali? He made the transition to the pros slowly. In his pro debut, Clay fought Tunny Hunsaker in a six-rounder. Clay, or Ali, fought in his first world title fight four years after turning pro, in his 20th bout.