Spent force
It’s hard to see the fall when it comes. But then it always comes, harder for some than it is for others.
Athletes and sports heroes are people we normally see at the peak of their powers. A young and rambunctious Muhammad Ali who made fun of everything and everyone. An all- conquering Anderson Silva, who took on and just about taunted all- comers. A youthful and athletic Michael Jordan, who in his prime made every other basketball player look like a kid in the sandlot. Legends and super humans all.
Manny Pacquiao, the boxer-turned-senator who is still wildly popular among our countrymen, is one such legend who seems to walk on water. Adored by millions of Filipinos – and in fact voted into an office the requirements of which are way above his intellectual and other faculties – the pugilist-politician is seen as someone who could vanquish everyone in his path, be it boxer or fellow-senator.
It was, therefore, a hard fall for many when the boxer-senator’s fall finally came, in the hands of an up-and-coming Australian boxer, Jeffrey Horn. Prior to the actual event, not many gave the young Horn any chance of even surviving the full fight with Pacquiao. Notwithstanding the fact that Horn is much younger and hungrier, and the esteemed senator not being in his best form of late – having in quick succession been beaten by Timothy Bradley, knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez, and outpointed by Floyd “The Money” Mayweather – most of the country still believed that the “Pambansang Kamao” would come through and prevail over his opponent once again.
It was a tidy bit of business, though, for the once- great boxer. Despite advancing in years, and interest in his fighting prowess greatly diminished among the fans of the sport due to his declining form, he still managed to push through with a fight that gave him a tidy pay, to recoup what must have been a huge sum he spent for his senatorial campaign. Add to this the fact that he probably needs to raise a good deal more to pay his back-taxes, and one can conclude that the fighting senator is a good businessman indeed. And for the cherry on the cake, he holds a rematch clause, win- or-lose, which means that he still gets to fight one more time, and earn a few more dollars. Pacquiao, the boxer-senator, is alas also Pacquiao the boxer-senator turned boxer-senator-businessman.
It is sad, though, for the man. Money is short-term, but fame and legend are forever. True, he holds the record for winning the most titles in all divisions among all the boxers who ever graced the sport of boxing. His name will be mentioned in informed conversation among the likes of Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston, Muham- mad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hearns and Floyd “The Money” Mayweather. Unfortunately, the mention of his name will also probably bring up how he eventually ended his career, with ignominious losses to lesser lights, who he could have easily beaten in his prime.
In the end, Pacquiao the man could not live up to all his guises. Spread too thinly among being the world-champion boxer, senator of the Republic of the Philippines, as well as owner, coach and player of a professional basketball team – he could not possibly hope to be all of them, and be the best in all of them. Which is the saddest part in the whole story.
He is clearly not a professional ball player that he thinks he is. And neither is he the legislative wizard that he aspires to be, notwithstanding the fact that his colleagues try to humour him as such. But at least, he still had some remaining claim to fame in being a world-class boxer who took on and beat all- comers.
Now, after this loss to a virtual unknown boxer from down under, it seems that even as a pugilist, he is – as many have already suspected – a spent force who has fallen from his once-lofty perch, but too immersed in his own legend to recognize it.
In the end, Pacquiao the man could not live up to all his guises: boxer, senator, as well as the owner and coach of a basketball team.