Manny Pacquiao’s Legacy

By JM “Shade” Daguio

The first time I saw a Manny Pacquiao bout was in 1997, I was in my elementary days but during those times I had already watched tons of local boxing fights on TV such as old fights of Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, Luisito Espinosa and Gerry Peñalosa. Boxing is one of the three popular sports in the Philippines which also include Basketball and Pool, world title fights are mini-events, it’s no surprise a normal day like this would include a boxing itinerary.

That day though, I was in awe. I saw Gabriel Elorde danced in the ring, Espinosa’s flush KO’s and Peñalosa’s grit to win his fights but I never saw the type of speed and whirlwind abandon that Manny Pacquiao was about to do to his current victim Chokchai Chockvivat.

In that fight, Manny was raw as anyone could get but he acquired this sense of urgency to finish opponents early since his first loss via body punch versus fellow filipino Rustico Torrecampo was still fresh in his mind; Manny was still reckless but that recklessness was now controlled to put his opponents in a position to quit and Chokchai Chockvivat did quit in the fifth round.

My mouth was wide open, not just because of the speed and his patented handspeed but also at that time Manny was so skinny it’s hard to imagine he’s fighting at welterweight today since he fought for the OPBF title at flyweight that day he dismantled his Thai rival. To me it was surreal to see this small kid, with crew cut hair utterly destroy a hulking opponent. Another thing that I found ironic was his last name: Pacquiao which sounds like the Filipino word “Pakyaw” meaning “to take everything” because he never left his opponent anything. He took his opponent’s soul.

Fast forward to April 9, 2016, the boy I saw fighting is now a man fighting his (allegedly) last fight. Pacquiao fought Timothy Bradley and proudly put on a clinic which saw the Filipino knocked down Bradley twice in the 7th and 9th round.

As he was announced as the winner, Manny reiterated that his career is over and that he will concentrate on his bid as a senator in the Philippines.

Manny Pacquiao the fighter, to me, was a savant. He was never a lazy fighter, he loved the workout, he love the mitts and sparring. His fighting style is unorthodox but his ability to absorb gameplan is textbook. His second fight versus Erik Morales was an example of this. After his loss via decision versus Morales in their first fight, Pacquiao knew that his old style of jab-jab-straight will never take him anywhere, it was exciting but versus the elite? It was predictable. Freddie Roach told Manny after the first Morales bout that things will change and that includes his arsenal.

During the training camp versus Morales in their second fight, Roach and Manny developed his right hand they endearingly called “Manila Ice”, the camp was intense and Manny had to do things he never did before like abdominal slaps and do plyometrics but it was clear Pacquiao is becoming a monster and he was as he became the first fighter to stop Erik Morales in the 10th round.

That second Morales fight was Manny’s turning point but it only happened because Manny was so obsessed with boxing and training that he was able to do a complete revision of his skills.

After the Morales fight, he fought Oscar Larios and Morales again, Pacquiao also proved he was the best superfeatherweight at that time by “cleaning” out the elite such as Marco Antonio Barrera, Jorge Solis and Juan Manuel Marquez. By this time (since it was well documented) he started jumping weight divisions and destroy “theoretically” bigger fighters such as David Diaz, Oscar Dela Hoya and Ricky Hatton, now everybody is onboard the Manny Pacquiao train.

Manny’s career is also intertwined with Floyd Mayweather, JR. and Juan Manuel Marquez. Having lost to the former via decision, fans are still clamoring for a second one since the whole pre-fight, actual fight and post-fight were all surrounded by controversy. Pacquiao’s fight or series of fights versus Marquez was exciting too. Their first fight ended in a draw, which saw Pacman knocked Marquez down three times and Marquez’s subsequent comeback. The second fight was also controversial as Manny and Marquez fought to a close fight only to have Manny win the fight because of a knockdown. The 3rd fight was also close but a majority decision for Manny and a fourth fight which was Marquez’s magnum opus; the Mexican utterly KO’d Pacman via side-step right hook with all of Marquez and maybe all of Mexico’s strength, Pacman was out cold, face down.

Through Pacquiao’s high’s and low’s, he showed that he is a once-in-a-lifetime type of fighter, perpetual motion, whirlwind and pure heart. He’s not a trash talker which is rare in big money fights but Manny showed one can be a draw and classy at the same time, he’s known to be deeply religious and superstitious but was also involved in some anti-gay remarks which may stain a little of his legacy.

Overall, Pacquiao is one of the Asia’s greats and one of the great lefties to have ever wore gloves., his charisma, grit and tenacity will be an indelible mark in boxing consciousness, his trademark let-my-fight-do-the-talking type of personality will always bring pride to me as a Filipino and also as a fight fan. Pacquiao the fighter’s legacy will live on.

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