Give Manny space

Manny Pacquiao has gone through rough and difficult times to get to where he is. What he has achieved for himself and the Philippines so far is something no ordinary man is able to do in a lifetime.

Pacquiao is only 28 and has a lot more years of fighting left. He knows he’s got to be in tip-top shape if he hopes to continue performing in the ring at a high level. If he prepares poorly for a fight, he only has himself to blame because at this point in his career, there is nobody in the superfeatherweight horizon who has even a ghost of a chance to beat him.

Marco Antonio Barrera is next in line for Pacquiao and they square off in a much-awaited rematch on Oct. 6, four years after they initially met in a bout that cemented the Filipino icon’s reputation as the dreaded Mexican scourge. In their first fight for the Ring Magazine’s recognition as the people’s world featherweight champion, Pacquiao brutalized Barrera and blasted him into submission in the 11th round.

Barrera has never been the same since the loss to Pacquiao. The consensus is Barrera is on the way to pasture and he’s looking for just one more big payday before hanging up his gloves. Pacquiao is his ticket to a last mega-buck bank deposit.

Although oddsmakers don’t give Barrera much of a chance to upset Pacquiao, he remains a dangerous opponent. In boxing, anything can happen. Barrera will enter the ring ready for war. If Pacquiao comes in half-prepared, he could be in for some rough sailing.

Pacquiao is old enough to know what’s at stake. He’s not a little boy anymore. He’s a grown-up father of three with hard-earned assets running into the millions of pesos. For his fans to question his frame of mind is to not give him the benefit of the doubt. Surely, Pacquiao deserves much more than what some fans and detractors give him credit for.

If Pacquiao has family problems, we owe it to him to give him space to settle them – on his own terms, not ours.

Pacquiao’s sudden return home from the US means he has things on his mind he’d like to clear up. Why force him to train abroad if he can’t focus on what’s on the table?

Pacquiao realizes that if he’s not mentally and physically prepared for Barrera, he’ll be courting disaster. Barrera won’t beat him. But Pacquiao could beat himself.

What does Pacquiao stand to lose if he bows to Barrera? His marketability – both as a fighter and a commercial endorser. Public adulation. The opportunity to face the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez, Joan Guzman, Edwin Valero and other marquee fighters in big-money fights that would set him up for several lifetimes. The chance to bring more honor for the country. A lasting legacy as the greatest Filipino fighter ever.

Pacquiao knows it’s an all-or-nothing proposition against Barrera. If he falls, he’ll plummet into the depths. If he wins, his star will continue rising. He’s not about to throw a good thing out the window.

Let’s not sell Pacquiao short. He’s intelligent. He knows his limits. He has the good sense not to wash himself, his fans and his country down the drain.

The other day, talk of Pacquiao quarreling with trainer Freddie Roach spread like wildfire. How that rumor came about smacks of a smear campaign orchestrated by those who hope to gain something from Pacquiao’s downfall.

“Their relationship is like father and son,” said one of Pacquiao’s confidantes, Rellie de Leon. “It’s just not fair that some people love to take potshots at Manny in media for the sake of creating a headline. How can we do this to someone who has given the country so much pride and honor?”

Then, there was talk of Pacquiao cavorting with movie leading lady Ara Mina. Both parties have denied the malicious rumors. You can just imagine the damage to Pacquiao’s relationship with his wife Jinkee. Could the rumors be part of a publicity campaign for their upcoming movie “Anak Ni Kumander?”

For Pacquiao to be in the swirl of controversy at this stage of his preparations for Barrera is in bad timing. He can’t afford distractions, especially from media.

If Pacquiao is bothered by some personal problems, we should let him resolve whatever they are in his own way, in his own time. Let’s give him the space to breathe, to find peace in his life.

Pacquiao is only human. He’s not perfect. He makes mistakes. But one thing’s for sure, he’s got a head on his shoulders. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have been able to go this far in his life. Of course, he should always make sure his head is still in the right place.

Pacquiao knows if he loses to Barrera, he only has himself to blame. And that’s why, he’s trying hard to be in the proper frame of mind to prepare for his big fight. Pacquiao has certainly earned the right of being given the benefit of the doubt – until he throws it away.