Pacquiao is No. 1 turncoat

By Al S. Mendoza

MANNY Pacquiao is presently proving himself to be the country’s No. 1 turncoat.

Do you know what he had just done?

He left ABS-CBN for GMA-7.

He gave no reason for the transfer.

Now I know why Pacquiao deserted the Philippine Team during the recent Philippines-Mexico World Boxing Cup in Sacramento, California.

ABS-CBN was the carrying station of that event. And Pacquiao was the Captain of the RP Team.

Without giving any reason, Pacquiao did not show up to carry the colors for the Filipino team, which went on to score five victories against a lone loss to win the crown. The sorry loser was Ray “Boom Boom” Bautista, who suffered his first defeat after 23 straight victories.

I say Pacquiao could be the country’s No. 1 turncoat today because he had also switched managers and handlers faster than Brittney Spears changes her moods.

When he was about ready to hit it big, Pacquiao left his discoverer and benefactor, Polding Correa, for Rod Nazario.

When he hit the big time, Pacquiao dumped Nazario for Murad Muhammad, an African-American hustler from the darkest pits of world boxing.

Not long after, Pacquiao kicked out Muhammad in favor of Shelly Finkel.

Not long after, Finkel saw himself being dumped, too – right on the birthday celebration of the Famous Fist in his land of birth, General Santos City, only last December.

I commiserate with Finkel, whom I find to be well-meaning.  He spent quite a fortune to save Pacquiao from the clutches of the wheeler-dealer Muhammad.

It was Finkel who orchestrated thelaw suit in New York against Muhammad, with Pacquiao earning a bundle of dollars from an out-of-court settlement.

Yet, in the end, when Pacquiao has finally established an international celebrity status – and freed from huge taxes in America and a straightjacket deal with Muhammad – Finkel found himself also holding an empty bag.

Hurt, Finkel filed charges against Pacquiao and the case is pending in court.

After dropping Finkel like a hot potato, Pacquiao announced he was now the manager of his own career.

Smart move. That means all earnings from his boxing matches will be siphoned directly to his bank.

You think that was the end of it?

Think again, fellers.

After signing a five-fight contract with the legendary Oscar De La Hoya, Pacquiao reneged on it after receiving an advance pay of $500,000.

Reason?

Two months after he signed the contract with De La Hoya, Pacquiao accepted a new deal with Bob Arum worth $1 million.

And now this, the switch from ABS-CBN to GMA 7.

At the rate things are going, I wouldn’t be surprised if Pacquiao would soon change beers – from San Miguel to Colt 45.

Will he also soon dump Jinky for Ara?

That’ll be the day.

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/general-admission/)

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