ShareThisFilipino boxing icon says he’s not retiring yet
MANILA — Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, the best boxer the Philippines ever produced, has etched himself in the annals of world boxing history as the greatest in modern times when he won his eighth world championship belt, the only boxer in history to do so.
Pacquiao pummeled Mexico’s three-time world titlist Antonio Margarito in their 12-round fight for the World Boxing Council super welterweight championship at the Dallas Cowboys’ Stadium in Dallas, Texas, fulfilling his dream of being in the class of former heavyweight Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and middleweight luminary Sugar Ray Leonard. The victory assured him of a record $20 million (P800 million) prize.
Even as he ruled his opponent again, the Filipino boxing icon, however, refused to rule out the possibility of another fight even as his mother Dionisia has been ekking him to retire.
Pacquiao commended Margarito for being a strong, enduring and a good boxer, admitting he was badly bruised also in the fight.
From his hospital bed, Margarito hailed his conqueror as the “world’s greatest.”
“I gave it all I had, but unfortunately, I was not able to get the victory over the best fighter in the world today,” said Margarito in a statement released by Top Rank.
“As I said before the fight, I was never going to quit and tried to win this fight to the very last minute,” added Margarito who will get the biggest paycheck of his career of $3 million.
Margarito’s trainer, Robert Garcia, a former world super-featherweight champion, also hailed Pacquiao as the world’s best fighter.
“I knew that Manny was the best fighter in the world, pound-for-pound. He truly is and I know of his speed, his power, his footwork. I wasn’t surprised at all. I wanted to see the best Manny Pacquiao, and we saw it. The whole world saw it,” Garcia attested.
Pacquiao’s victory was hailed by President Benigno S. Aquino III as fellow lawmakers in the House of Representatives adopted a resolution conferring on Pacquiao the highest Congressional Award and the Senate was set to adopt its version honoring the boxer-lawmaker from Sarangani.
After meeting with some 1,000 members of the Filipino community at the Yokohama Futaba High School after the fight, the President said he was able to talk and congratulate Pacquiao shortly after the fight at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas.
“Pinuri natin sa ipinamalas niya kanina dahil pinahanga na naman niya ang mga Pilipino,” the President said.
The President said he would meet with Pacquiao once the boxing hero returns to the country.
Several bishops also applauded the boxing legend.
Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo not only commended the pound-for-pound boxer but also his family and the whole nation as well for their support.
“My congratulations to Manny Pacquaio extended to Aling Dionesia, (Manny’s mother) and his family as well as to our countrymen. I hope we bring equal honor and pride to our country in more important issues and concerns as we go back to work this Monday,” he said.
For Antipolo auxiliary Bishop Francis de Leon since Pacquiao has won his eight title, he should retire and focus on being the Representative of Saranggani province in Congress.
“Congrats! Now that you won, it is time retire and focus on your district,” he said.
Marbel Bishop Dinauldo Gutierrez and Kalookan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez also congratulated the first termer Congressman from Mindanao.
“ Thanks God, Pacquiao won. He should now choose his priority,” Gutierrez said.
For, Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos said, “A star has shined. He is bemedalled with 8 belts. A boxer in prayer. He is simple, a brother and friend to everyone. My special appreciation for refraining to knockdown Margarito.”
Pacquiao said he will rest and savor his victory, adding he is still feeling aches and pain inflicted by brave Antonio Margarito.
Is this his last fight so he could concentrate on being a lawmaker of Sarangani province? “Let’s just say it’s not going to be the last. I must allow myself to heal first. I’m going to eat, savor my victory for a few days before going home and see what will happen.”
Margarito, the so-called ‘Tijuana Tornado,‘ did stay on his feet for the entire 12-round title fight, but suffered the consequence by fracturing his right eye socket that needed minor surgery at the Dallas Methodist Hospital.
Apart from that, the Mexican’s left eye was shut to a close and had bleeding in his nose, the product of Pacquiao’s relentless attacks during the crowd-pleasing, action-packed bout.
Pacquiao, who is also the world’s best-ever pound-for-pound king at 31, has also reigned as a flyweight, super-bantamweight, featherweight, super-featherweight, lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight.
The Filipino boxing icon started with piston-like speed and focus from the very first round and as he landed all sorts of punches on “Tijuana Tornado” Margarito’s face and body despite the latter’s longer 73 inches reach versus his 66 1/2 inches.
Even Margarito’s extra ceiling of 5’11″ against Pacquiao’s 5’6″ did not matter as he delivered left hooks, uppercuts and straights that shook the brave Mexican who miraculously seemed to be having enough strength each round as the fight lasted to the distance.
With 15 years of fighting and 57 winning bouts with three losses, two draws and 38 knockouts, it’s a wonder how Margarito was able to stand on his pride and big heart as he fought with a closed right eye and red pulpy face until the very end.
Margarito was showing wobbly knees as early as the third round when Pacman was bombarding him with shots that could have dropped him to the canvas but, he kept coming back for more. With 51 seconds left in the fourth quarter, his right eye looked like a slit as the cut was deep enough to blur his eyesight.
From then on, it was a pitiful Margarito who was a catch-all to Pacquiao’s deadly left-right combinations as he felt the painful stings that bloodied his sinister face.
Margarito is a strong boxer because even if he had to struggle throughout, he did not suffer a knockdown. “It’s just that he is too fast a boxer and I could not follow him throughout,” the Mexican said after the bout.
There were some moments of flickering revenge on the part of Margarito when he hit Pacman’s face but they were too few and in-between — what with his energy and determination to pin on the rope the elusive and clinical and precise Filipino great.
By seventh round, coach Freddie Roach was telling Manny to relax but get off the ropes. The world’s Pound-for- pound king Pacquiao listened but he insisted on cutting up his opponent’s right face to further open up the eye wound that was a key to his victory.
The battle’s outcome from the eight round was already decided as Pacman followed up with more hooks that snapped back the head of Margarito who was troubled with a messy face. In fact, the three judges gave a unanimous decision in Pacman’s favor.
The focused Pacman took it easy in the following rounds but by the 11th round, he was looking at the referee, hoping that the third man on the ring would step in and stop the agony of his enemy.
The referee refused. Pacman then rapidly fired eight accurate lands, connected 12 more and a three-punch combo, then played along in the last round as he released neat uppercuts to outclass the poor Mexican.
In the end, it was teacher Pacman what is it to be in the best pre-fight condition and preparation, focus, skill and natural talent in a sport that’s hitting its high note with his unequalled performance.
In a post-fight interview, Pacquiao said that he still wants to help a lot of people—he is not about to give up boxing.
What about his much-awaited match with Floyd Mayweather? “If the fight happens, it will happen. If not, that’s it. I don’t need him anyway. I am happy with what I have already achieved in my career.”
Not bad for a man who earned something like US$ 15 million guaranteed pay plus pay-per-view payment and a torrent of advertising and commercial opportunities waiting for the world’s greatest boxer.
At his mansion in Laguna, his sons Jimuel, Michael and daughter Princess shouted cheers to their father over a large TV screen. Jimuel said before the fight he bet that his dad would win in round 10, Michael in round five and Princess, round one.
“It’s okay if we lost, what is important is he won the fight,” said Jimuel as he jumped up with joy.
All over the Philippines, people from all walks of life were in high spirits, no crime on the streets, traffic was light and everyone was happy.
Pacman’ mother, Dionesia, said she’d come home soon because she has to take care of several matters in Manila and in the province.
Mommy Dionesia watched her son for the first time live at the Dallas Cowboys fight and get hit on the face by Margarito in the sixth round.
She fainted when she thought he was hurt and had to be rushed to a nearby hospital. “I don’t know if it was his blood that hit me but I just could not stand the sight of Manny getting punched and suffering in pain,” she said.
Mommy Dionesia has the habit of falling down on her knees and praying tightly with her rosary inside her room during Pacman’s previous fights.
“I always pray that he emerges the winner; that he comes out unscathed and be able to enjoy his good fortune. This should be his last ring battle but I can’t dictate on him.
“What I’m going to tell him is would he rather go on being hurt atop the ring and suffer the effects later on? Would he rather not see his mother live for long? I think, this is the last time I’m going to watch Manny fight right at the venue of the event. For a mother like me, it’s just unbearable.”