Pacquiao pining for another miracle

By Al S. Mendoza

 

IT used to be that only in chess do we maximize mind power to extract a win.

Not anymore, fellas.

Boxing has intruded into this exclusive domain.

And I refer especially to the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight.

By the way they are preparing for their much-awaited showdown in Las Vegas, mind-reading and a lot of psy-war has been blasting endlessly from their separate camps.

Mayweather has called Pacquiao “reckless,” using PacMan’s 6th-round knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012 as a prime example.

Pacquiao has countered that his style is not “reckless but exciting, that is why my fans all over the world love me, they like my fighting, which is thrilling.”

Both have engaged in verbal combat, but with Pacquiao the more subdued overall.

But on fight night, it will all come down to who between the two is the best prepared physically.

The mind game is a major cog, but the physical aspect of the bout is equally crucial.

The adage, “What the mind can conceive, the body can achieve,” is again at play here.

The mind is supreme over everything.

Thus, we love to say, “Mind over matter.”

But, as always, there is an exception to everything, anything.

So, how about this, “The mind is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Whose flesh will be weaker as the fight progresses on, Pacquiao or Mayweather?

Pacquiao is 36, Mayweather 38.

I say the two-year difference won’t matter much.

Time and time again, Mayweather has exhibited his capabilities to stay in shape at all times—the reason he is 47-0, with 26 knockouts.

Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs) had previously gone astray, boozin’ and womanizin’ and stayin’ up late at night gamblin’.

But being now a God-fearing, Bible-reading animal, Pacquiao has reformed and has pushed himself to the limits at the gym and on the road running.

Only a week is left before The Fight of The Century is here.

It is The Fight of The Century because of its record purses: $120 million for Mayweather, $80M for Pacquiao.

They could win more, depending on the final outcome in the accounting frenzy of fight revenues.

Each fighter has been making the most out of the bout on May 3 (Philippine time).

For Pacquiao alone, he will earn no less than $2.2 million from product endorsements printed on his boxing shorts come fight night.

And his short pants won’t even cost a thousand dollars!

How lucky can one get, indeed.

Hasn’t Pacquiao admitted that his first fight earned him only 2 dollars?

He used the money to buy food for his dirt-poor family still living then in Bukidnon.

That was in 1996, when one dollar is roughly fifty pesos.

Miracles happen.

And Pacquiao himself is the miracle.

Will the miracle produce another miracle on May 3?

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