Compiled by Ferdie Bravo
The much anticipated showdown between Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and WBO Welterweight champion Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley lived up to the hype as both fighters showed grit, determination and spirit in trying to knock each other out during the entire twelve rounds of compelling boxing. With vindication on the line as to who really was the true winner of their highly controversial first fight, this one was for sure eagerly awaited by boxing fans all over the world.
The star-studded event brought in attendance Academy-award winner Jack Nicholson, joined by famous sports celebrities such as Charles Barkley, one-time Pacman victim Miguel Cotto, former undisputed heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, and boxing Hall of Famer Tommy Hearns. As for Filipino flavor, two high-profile politicians, senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ralph Recto — were also amongst the audience, together with the ever-present Pacquiao fanatic Chavit Singson.
Glimpses of vintage Pacman was in showcase as the Filipino boxing icon pummeled his opponent to submission at will, occasionally receiving hard punches from the wild-swinging Bradley during the entire match. As many pundits observed, the former champion’s one-punch homerun style threw the Pinoy off-guard.
Bradley’s tactics on the onset was to land a haymaker that will put the lights out of Pacquiao’s wits, but each time the latter was able to elude and block the former’s desperation shots, visibly learning from the knockout defeat he suffered from Juan Manuel Marquez who was lucky to hit him with a “Hail Mary” smack to the face.
Bradley admitted that Pacquiao’s revenge only shows that he still has a lot left in the tank.
“He showed he still has it. The reason why I want Pacquiao is he doesn’t duck an opponent. I have respect for him and his team.”
After the fight, Bradley said he had injured his right calf in the very first round and his trainer Joel Diaz said it was downfall from there onwards.
“After what happened in the first round, Tim came back to the corner and he said ‘I think I tore my right calf.’ From that point on, I knew I didn’t have much to work with.”
Two years after Bradley was awarded a split decision verdict in their first fight, he had complained about the public’s opinion but had nothing to say after their bout.
“The judges scored the fight according to what he saw. I don’t want to comment on that.”
Inside the locker room, he said that he tried his best “but I couldn’t do what I wanted to do.”
Freddie Roach had earlier feared that a close victory could mean the end of an era but the 54-year-old corner man was nevertheless delighted that nobody even dared to question the score sheets of the three judges.
Meanwhile, the country was united in celebration as Pacquiao cemented his comeback by avenging his 2012 loss to American Timothy Bradley to regain the World Boxing Organization welterweight world title he lost to the American.
Crowds watching the fight, which was broadcast live from Las Vegas in several parks, squares and public stadiums around the archipelago, erupted in cheers as Pacquiao was declared winner in a unanimous 12-round decision.
“He shouldn’t retire yet. The country still needs him,” clamored many of his fans. They even taunted Floyd Mayweather to finally settle the issue as to who is the best pound-for-pound boxer of all time by agreeing to a fight with their national hero.
While rooting for him to knock Bradley out, Filipino fans were not disappointed by his performance.
A Pacquiao with no fire and no killer instinct, according to Bradley, was more than enough to make one of the best welterweights in the game abandon his game plan. Bradley knew he could not outbox Pacquiao so he went into the fight wanting a knockout. He turned into a wild-swinging brawler for the first time in his career. Bradley was tired after the fourth round. He was done after that.
Some people called the fight boring but before you do the same, think about what Pacquiao just accomplished. Bradley is on the prime of his career. He is a stylistic nightmare for Pacquiao. He may be faster than Pacquiao which negated one of the Filipino’s best assets. Yet Pacquiao made Bradley look like he did not belong in the same ring with him.
Since the time he fought with a Thai slugger for the OPBF flyweight crown, Pacquiao was astonishingly transformed from a one-handed slugger to an all-around fighter by his coach Freddie Roach.
Pacquiao has proven time and again that he is a student of the game. Not just in the ring but also outside it. He knows that sluggers usually don’t end their careers on a good note, boxers do. That’s why he’s trying to be more of a boxer now.
He no longer has to take a lot of punishment thereby extending his career. It allows him to fight and earn more while making sure he’ll retire free from ailments caused by taking too many blows to the head.
Mike Tyson. Ricardo Mayorga. Johnny Tapia. Edwin Valero. All those killers in the ring lived shocking lives. All of them had their dark places. They went there every time they stepped into the ring, which allowed them to fight like crazed animals. For the longest time, Manny Pacquiao was like that too.
You have to be somewhat crazy to fight the way Pacquiao did in the span from Oscar de la Hoya to Antonio Margarito. Only a crazy fighter would take a fight against de la Hoya. Only a crazy man will stand in front of Miguel Cotto and take the power punching Puerto Rican’s body blows willingly. Only a crazy fighter will jump to the super welterweight division and weigh even below the welterweight limit.
Pacquiao is not that fighter anymore. He took all those risks to entertain the fans. He has built his legacy and has done his job well. His highlights and his list of victims would stand against the best boxers in history, and arguably many consider him as the finest and greatest boxer of all time by winning an unprecedented 8-division world titles in a career spanning almost half his entire life.
Pacquiao is already looking at life outside boxing. Back then, boxing was his life. His family, his values, everything took the back seat to boxing. After he almost lost it all after the third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, the boxer changed his outlook in life.
He still wants to win fights and to test his skill against the world’s best. But now he fights thinking of his safety too; a precious lesson he learned against Marquez in their last fight.
In his past few fights, boxing writers, his opponents, and his detractors have maligned Pacquiao’s inability to score knockouts. He has not stopped anyone in five years. On the flipside, you won’t hear anyone complain about Mayweather’s lack of stoppages. Sure, they have very different styles but if Mayweather is celebrated for his boxing skill without finishing off opponents, shouldn’t we give Pacquiao the same respect? Instead of harping on his lack of knockout victims, shouldn’t we instead spend our time marveling at his journey from being a brawler to being a technically sound fighter?
We are all watching Manny Pacquiao’s victory lap. Sure, the Pacman is no longer in his peak. Sure, he no longer is the pedal to the metal dynamo we’ve come to love. But we have to realize that we are watching a once-in-a-generation talent here. Even without the knockouts, even without the bloody fights, we should all enjoy Pacquiao’s last few fights in the ring. Because we’ll all miss him when he’s done.
On the occasion when a galaxy of stars lit the night, Pacman’s very religious mother Dionisia stole the limelight from her popular son. Her antics were caught on camera by HBO showing her praying while pointing a finger to Bradley, as if putting a curse to her son’s nemesis.
Dionisia was applauded when TV cameras flashed her image on the screen doing a pray over just before Pacquiao left the dressing room. She later climbed the ring when the decision was announced and even comforted a visibly distraught Bradley. Her name hotly trended in the internet as many vocal fans and supporters commended her gesture while others threw ridicules and insults to the much-maligned mother.
With Pacman’s latest victory, many Filipinos should look back and realize that there was once a poor guy from GenSan City that made a living by fighting in the ring with meager support. The poor guy took all in strides even with a hungry stomach before and after each fight. With all the riches and glory that came together with success and popularity, this guy have gone wayward in his lifestyle but have been brought back into the light by the Almighty One as he became religious and God-fearing in his ways. Winning the battle against caprices, against worldly pleasures and sinful deeds, is the most difficult bout he has to endure. And not many famous boxers have been successful like our very own Pacman, fighting for his countrymen, and at the same time serving them as public servant in Saranggani.
Even if people keep poking pun at him and his family, the guy remained humble in spite of victories and accolades thrown at him. Sooner or later we will really miss the guy who is well known as the “PACMAN”. He simply is called “The Avenger!” Why not take a moment to reminisce what the guy has done for his country and savor the moment of pride for all Filipinos?
Let us show our gratitude and respect to the guy. He has not done anything wrong against us and I wonder why many of us keep putting him down. Admit it or not, Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao is a standout in our present generation because he knows his humble beginnings and he has the heart for the oppressed and needy. Certainly, he will end his career in boxing with a happy heart and enjoy the fruits of his labor with his beloved family with all the millions of dollars he earned as a pugilist.
