Wholesale Triumph
By Barry Pascua

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Boxer Manny Pacquiao never let down his guard in his rematch against Mexico's Erik Morales, thus becoming the symbol of national pride and the athlete to emulate in the eyes of the young.

In a country torn by political bickering, sports heroes and their feats can serve as a catalyst for unity even for a fleeting moment.

In early December last year, Filipino athletes won 113 gold medals to finally emerge with the overall championship of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games. That turned out to be an early Christmas present for the Philippines.

Before the euphoria of that golden harvest could die down, Manny Pacquiao gave his fellow Filipinos another reason to celebrate by getting back at Erik Morales and pummeling him into submission in what turned out to be the Mexican fighter's worst beating.

Well, ranged against 113 gold medals, if the 87 million Filipinos were polled, they'd say that Pacquiao's feat, despite having been achieved in a non-title fight, had more weight. Heck, it probably weighed more than the reserves at Fort Knox!
Just imagine this...

In the morning of January 22, in the entire Philippine archipelago, time stood still. You could get from Caloocan City to Baclaran in 15 minutes because there was hardly anybody plying that route as people stayed home, glued to their television sets. People went to hear mass early and most likely included a prayer for Pacquiao's triumph before rushing home to catch the fight on the boob tube. Sure, some of the malls-particularly SM branches everywhere and Rockwell in Makati were packed with people, but they were not Sunday promenaders or shoppers. They were there to watch the Pacquiao-Morales confrontation, simply called "The Battle," on the big screen sans commercial breaks. If reports of a coup plot were real, that would have been a good time to consummate such a scheme. But the purported plotters themselves were probably more concerned with the Pacquiao fight than anything else.

Pacquiao, pint-sized as he is, served as the magnet that galvanized Filipinos from all walks of life, age, creed and political conviction in that singular, most significant moment, when national pride was on the line and a new definition of it was about to be written.

They were not to be disappointed.

Pacquiao toyed with Morales right from the opening bell of their match at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas up to the 10th round, when the end came and the Filipino pug stood at center ring with his arms raised and his fallen bloodied foe was unable to continue.

The fight was stopped by referee Kenny Bayles at 2:33 of the 10th round, when Morales, still reeling from an initial knockdown, was once more floored by an unforgiving Pacquiao seeking to exorcise the ghost of the painful 12-round loss inflicted on him by the Mexican fighter ten months earlier.

If it's any consolation for Pacquiao, though, that first encounter with Morales on March 19, 2005 at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, was voted the Most Dramatic Fight of the Year by the World Boxing Council (WBC). That was Pac-quiao's first fight in the 130-pound class. Filipinos vividly remember him suffering a cut in the fifth round, his face bloodied from then on, but his spirit steadfast until the bitter end.

In their rematch, Pacquiao was neither hurt nor bloodied as he was in full control and Morales was a far cry from the fighter known as "El Terrible."

Returning to a hero's welcome in the Philippines, Pacquiao had all the energy to wave at his fans in a motorcade that toured Metro Manila after a brief stop at Malacañang where he was congratulated by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He had the time for a mini-concert at the Baywalk where The Lettermen served as his front act, before he left for his native General Santos City.

A Different Destiny

Emmanuel Pacquiao was born in Bukidnon but grew up in GenSan. He turned 27 last December 17. His is another classic case of a son not following the advice of his parents but later reaping success as he searched for his own destiny.
His mom, Dionesia, never wanted her son to trade mitts atop the ring, but Manny was hardheaded and hard-hitting. At age 13, he had his first fight as an amateur at the GenSan town plaza. Most people called him "Kid Kulafu." It wasn't known whether the moniker was attached to him because of his warrior's stance or if fight fans were simply taunting him (Kulafu is a brand of alcoholic beverage).
The moniker didn't stick. Instead, what would be embedded in the minds of fight fans in Mindanao was the promise and potential of Pacquiao, who later turned pro in 1995.

In his professional debut on January 22, 1995, Pacquaio defeated Edmund "Enting" Ignacio in Mindoro Occidental. After that came a string of ten other wins against Pinoy Montejo, Rocky Palma, Dele Decierto, Flash Simbajon, Arman Rocil, Lolito Laroa, Renato Mendones, Rodulfo Fernandez, Rolando Tuyugon and Lito Torrejos.

On February 9, 1996, Rustico Torrecampo handed Pacquiao his first loss via a third-round technical knockout in Mandaluyong City. That would sting Pacquiao, but not deter him from fighting on. In 1988 Pacquaio started campaigning abroad. He knocked out Shin Terao in the first round in Tokyo, Japan on May 18 and then on December 4, he took the WBC Flyweight title from Chartchai Sasakul via an eighth round TKO in Bangkok.

He defended the title against Gabriel Mira, whom he knocked out in the fourth round of a fight held in Quezon City on April 24, 1999. Five months later, on September 17, he lost the title to Medgoen Singsurat by a third round knockout. Technically, Pacquiao had already yielded the belt when he did not make the 112-pound limit during the weigh-in.

More disciplined and determined, Pacquiao bounced back with wins over Tetsutora Senrima and Wethya Sak-muangklang, priming him up for a showdown with Leklohonolo Ledwaba, whom he beat via a sixth-round TKO for the International Boxing Federation Super Bantamweight crown. He defended the title against Agapito Sanchez, Jorge Eliecer Julio, Fahprakorb Rakkiatgym and Emmanuel Lucero.

Then came the fight that would forever enshrine Pacquiao not only in the hearts of the Filipinos, but also of fight fans all over the world. On November 15, 2003, Pacquiao entered the ring in San Antonio, Texas, stared legendary Marco Antonio Barrera straight in the eye and never blinked enroute to an 11th round TKO victory. From that moment on, the moniker "Pacman" was attached to his name. He had captured the People's featherweight title, was named Athlete Of The Year by both the Philippine Sportswriters' Association (PSA) and Sports Communicators' Organization of the Philippines (SCOOP) and hailed as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters worldwide.

His next fight against Juan Manuel Marquez, however, ended up in a draw. After that came a patsy from Thailand, Fahsan (3K Battery) Por Thawatchair, whom Pacquiao made short work of and disposed in four rounds.

Then came the Erik Morales classic on March 19, 2004.

Pacquiao had exacted revenge and is now looking forward to another duel with Barrera or any other big fight that would net him more than the $2 million paycheck he earned in the rematch with Morales.

Certainly, the "Pacman" is in the prime of his career and would most likely steamroll any opponent that will come his way. But he had once hinted at retirement to wife Jinkee, who has always been at ringside viewing his fights.
Said Jinkee, "Once, he told me he might retire while he's on top. Probably, he'll fight until he is 30 years old. Tapos, tama na (After that, he's done)."

The Pacquiaos are blessed with two kids - five-year-old Emmanuel Jr. and four-year-old Michael Stephen. They are also blessed with a lot of other things as they are financially set for life. After boxing, Pacquiao can concentrate full time on acting, recording and endorsing products, which he is already doing. A record he had cut prior to the Morales rematch has already hit triple platinum.
Maybe he could even toss his hat into the political arena and gain success at that. After all, didn't the entire Filipino nation rally behind him?

Barry Pascua is a sports columnist and radio/ TV-analyst for PBA and Philippine Pro Boxing League.