P3 billion for Pacman fight? No way, Jose!
Go Manny, may you have a succesful farewell tour and may you thrill the fans no end. But p*tang ina, don’t ask the country spend P3 billion for it.
Bob Arum said the other day that Manny Pacquiao will have a farewell tour in 2017, which could see the fighting senator see action as many as four times in the year. The Pacman, who will start the year with a fight against unknown Jeff Horn in Australia, could hang up his gloves in 2017 and one of the plans is to have his final fight in the Philippines.
Michael Jordan had his farewell season with the Wizards, Kobe Bryant had his with the Lakers when he announced early last year that it would be his last. But unlike Pacman's farewell tour, the swan songs of both basketball greats were really for the fans, a chance for them to see their beloved idols one last time before they go for retirement.
Manny Pacquiao's farewell tour is for his retirement fund--or, to fund his political ambitions as soon-to-return-columnist Noel Villaflor puts it. I mean, who wants to see the Pacman fight guys like Jeff Horn?
This early, they're spinning the fight as an offering to the public by airing it on free TV in the US, but that's just another way of saying, that no one is going to buy Pacman PPVs anymore, what with competing sports like MMAs and what-have-yous.
In his last fight against Jessie Vargas, Pacquiao didn't get a guaranteed fee unlike in his previous fights, and that shows the decline in his popularity, which not only took a hit after his lackluster showing in the past few years but when he opened his mouth, too.
That said, no one can stop the Pacman from having his farewell tour, and no one can stop him from even packaging it as an offering for his boxing fans, who are better served watching his old fights in YouTube should they miss him.
But what should be stopped on its track though is this idea that the government should spend for Pacquiao's swan song, his final fight.
Department of Tourism secretary Wanda Teo said Pacman called him and asked for P3 billion for his final fight. That's billion, that's three followed by nine zeros. And had that pushed through, every Pinoy who had ever been in a financial bind would be channeling their inner Dutertes and curse this government to kingdom come.
Thankfully, the good secretary declined the request from this (to borrow Bobby Nalzaro's favorite phrase) has-been fighter, saying it's a “difficult sell.” A refusal that should tell Manny that “you're not as marketable as before.”
If Manny was thinking of how Marcos spent for the Thrilla in Manila, well, somebody should point out to him that it was staged because Macoy wanted a glorified side of his Martial law-era Philippines to be showcased to the world.
Go Manny, may you have a succesful farewell tour and may you thrill the fans no end. But p*tang ina, don't ask the country spend P3 billion for it.