SHOULD Manny Pacquiao proceed to fight Jeff Horn again in November, that’d be almost a month away before our Fighting Senator turns 39 on December 17. He was born in Kibawe, Bukidnon, in 1978, six years after the late, unlamented Marcos placed the entire country under martial law.
While Horn might be expected again to come out smoking the way he did on July 2, would we see a newer version of Pacquiao, one who’d be a little bit faster, a little bit stylish and a little sharper?
For, sad to say, what we saw in their first Battle in Brisbane was almost a near shadow only of the old Pacquiao: A bit slow, a bit sluggish, a bit dull.
Could be that he had not trained well—his Senate stints more important now than his ring career?
Or, if only to be blunt about it, has Father Time finally caught up with him and, thus, he should really start thinking seriously about retirement?
Pacquiao has fought 68 times, winning 59, losing seven, and drawing two, with 38 knockouts.
Three defeats were by way of a knockout. The other four were, well, close calls.
But the highlight of his career, now spanning more than two decades, are the unprecedented eight division world crowns tucked under his belt—not to mention 11 championship titles across his name.
The one to break Pacquiao’s record is yet to be born—if he is to be born at all.
Simply put, his legacy is secure, and his legend is for all time.
So that if he should retire now instead of pursue the rematch with Horn, there won’t be any dent at all to his fame and stature.
Judging by the way he fought on July 2—almost a very defensive posture all the way—winning the rematch isn’t a sure hit at all.
Horn winning again is a scary thought but its probability of happening is as high as floods inundating most of the metropolis again in the coming rainy season.
So why can’t Pacquiao choose to retire? Now?
Money? The lure of another P500 million payday in November is just too much to resist?
For, how many among us could get the chance to stash away that much—all in a day’s work?
Imagine Pacquiao gobbling up a billion bucks in just five months, adding his P500-million purse on July 2?
How many from his entourage of alalays aka hangers-on will benefit, as always, from every Pacquiao cash bonanza? In fact, they are the first to raise a collective howl at any hint of a Pacquiao retirement.
Likewise, while it is true that it is Pacquiao and Pacquiao alone who has the final say on whether to retire or not, his wife, Jinkee, remains the strongest influence.
Not even Mommy Dionisia aka PacMom can dictate on Pacquiao. She has been forcefully batting for retirement since Juan Manuel Marquez knocked out Pacquiao in 2012—to no avail.
Historically speaking, most boxers find it hard to retire.
Before Pacquiao came along, our greatest boxer succeeding the great Pancho Villa was Flash Elorde.
Elorde, for more than seven years the world junior lightweight champion, was forcibly retired because he kept on losing after he un-retired.
Lope Sarreal Sr., Elorde’s father-in-law and manager, requested the Games and Amusements Board (GAB)—and was granted—to revoke Elorde’s right to fight.
By the time he was stripped of his license, Elorde was almost punch-drunk already and was losing bouts in monotonous succession. He had a total of 117 fights, winning 89, losing 27 and drawing 2, with 33 KOs.
Becoming a chain smoker after his forcible retirement, Elorde, the youngest of 15 children from Bogo, Cebu, died of lung cancer on January 2, 1985—at the age of 49.
It was Elorde, a Hall of Famer like Villa, who delivered the classic San Miguel Beer line, “Isang platitong mani” as pulutan, which was voted the best advertisement of all time—with Rico J. Puno and the late Bert “Tawa” Marcelo in the cast.
THAT’S IT In Magnifico Magsayo and Santini Santisima, our boxing future seems secure. The duo had just defeated their respective foes in Pinoy Pride 41 by devastating first-round knockout. Cheers!