By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

GONE are his footwork, reflex, agility, elusiveness, punching power, stamina, but his cleverness still stays. That’s what we observed last Sunday, August 22, how our boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao suffered an startling defeat in the hands of little known Cuban pug and failed to reclaim the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight belt. Recall that he used to hold that title but was unceremoniously stripped off from him owing to his 25 months inactivity.

Sadly, his defeat this time produced a lot of negative remarks from world and local kibitzers, including the unsolicited advice for him to hang up his gloves being an aging man before he gets hurt big time and regrets it in the end. Yes, I believe they’re right.

Many professional boxers ended their career with debilitated health. Look at the former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali. He acquired a Parkinson’s disease due to his prolonged fighting inside the ring. He never recovered until his death at the age of 74 years. Ali and Rocky Marciano were my first and my everlasting boxing heroes, and, of course, my two half-countrymen Julio Cesar Chavez of Mexico and Pacquiao. Remember, Pacman is the only eight-division world champion that this planet ever produced, so far, since world professional boxing was initially introduced in 1891. I believe the guy who can surpass this monumental record of Pacman is still not born. Pacman is also distinguished as the oldest world welterweight champion, (42 years old) that pro boxing ever made, so far. But I believe this feat will be surpassed soon, maybe within this decade.

Regrettable were disparaging remarks hurled against Pacman just after his loss to Ugas and even to this day. Nor even his wife Jinkee was not spared. In fact, I have it here and saved these messages. I described these poisonous words are doings of uncivilized people or un-Filipino. “Mabuti nga sau at natalo ka,” “Laos ka na”, “Sakim”, “Bobo”, “Ambisyoso”, “Ulol”, to name some. I also heard these from some of pro-Pacquiao fanatic admirers. I have a big feeling that these vilifying remarks against Pacman are connected to his politics all because Pacman prematurely announced his intention to run for president of our republic.

These critics don’t care to remember the honor and pride Pacman had given our country. I may be wrong but I believe these pretentious connoisseurs are being paid by somebody whose only purpose is to ruin the image of Pacman. It’s all about money, though they know that it is against the law of God. “For the love money is the root of all kinds of evil.” 1 TIMOTHY 6: 10. So if my faculty is right, these people are devils in disguise.

Honestly, if Pacman pushes through with his dream to be the highest official of the land, although it is his constitutional right, his chances of winning are murky, like the murky Pasig River. If he really wants to obtain a higher position after being a senator, he should seek the office of the vice president, purposely to gain more experience, if elected. No doubt that he’s a God-fearing fellow, but he’s still young and raw to lead this troubled and problematic nation.

But first, he has to hang up his gloves, now, and concentrate himself in public service. This is my unsolicited advice.

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QUOTE OF HE WEEK: “And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous. EXODUS 23: 8

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