I was wrong and I lost

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

IF “There’s always a first time”, there could be a second time and the big probability that there could be a third time for the same thing happening.

That’s what happened to me as regards to the mega fight between Mexican Oscar De La Hoya and our very own Manny Pacquiao last Sunday at Las Vegas Nevada.

I was one of those many who was proven wrong and lost in a bet because I predicted here that De La Hoya would be the victor. I said it was 60-40, but neither did I say that Pacquiao had no chance at all to win.

We saw how the aggressive left handed Filipino slugger Pacquiao from Gen. Santos City scored a sensational eighth round technical knockout over De La Hoya that shocked the world, especially the boxing connoisseurs. The “Dream Match” turned out to be a mismatch. And De La Hoya, the “Golden Boy”, has been dubbed an “Olden Boy.”

Since I became an ardent fan of Pacquiao (a.k.a. Pacman) when he knocked out Lehlo Ledwaba to seize the International Boxing Federation junior featherweight crown, his second world title, the first time I lost a bet was when I predicted that Pacman cannot defeat Hall of Fame candidate and Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera.

The result was startling like what happened last Sunday. Barrera, pummeled by Pacman after six rounds of 12, succumbed and suffered his first and only horrifying debacle by way of an 11th round technical stoppage.

His first battle with Juan Manuel Marquez that ended in a controversial draw was I believe, won by Pacman. But his second encounter against Juan Manuel Marquez ended in a split verdict. I lost again my bet for the second time.

But let me also say that in his other fights against Chicanos like Gabriel Mira, Emmanuel Lucero, Oscar Larios, Hector Velasquez, Jorge Solis, Erik Morales, David Diaz, I bet on him and I won. He demolished all the well-known Mexican ring warriors and this was the reason why most world scribes now fondly call him the “Mexicutioner.”

Yes, he’s the number one pound-for-pound boxer of the world and also the greatest boxer in this era. But I don’t see him as the greatest of all time because unknown to many, he suffered two devastating defeats against compatriot RusticoTorrecampo on Feb. 9, 1996 and to Thailander Medgoen Singsurat on Sept. 17, 1999, both via third round knockout.

To me, the greatest is not even Muhammad Ali as most describe him, but the late world heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano. He won all his 49 professional fights and 48 of them via knockout which nobody had ever surpassed yet. He’s the only boxer ever to retire undefeated. Unfortunately, Marciano died on August 31, 1969, not because of boxing, but from a plane crash.

What I admire most in Pacquiao was his huge love for God. We have seen how he would devotedly pray to God before, during and after his every fight. And I believe that God answered his prayers. We have seen that in the results of his fights, most of them in convincing victories.

The way Pacman boxes, I can see the guy will last long in his chosen profession. He’s young, just turning 30 on Dec. 17 and at the prime of his career. His only enemy is a lucky punch from his opponent.

So I was wrong, I lost and got drunk. Hik, hik, hik.

(Readers may reach columnist at biking.jess@yahoo.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/sports-eye/
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