The Oddball

In his signature murmur-like speech, Freddie Roach moves his head left to right and vice versa without taking off his eyes before the man holding a highly sensitive microphone positioned a few inches away from a host of other live cameras, microphones and cellphones. Roach declares, "Manny Pacquiao is an oddball. You won't simply see and experience a fighter of his caliber in a generation!" Roach, a former ring pugilist himself, was neither in a marketing program nor into a team aggrandizement propaganda when he made this declaration. He knows what he was saying and definitely knows where his prized ward is going. And that was almost two years ago. Now, the world knows who Manny Pacquiao is - the Fighter of the Decade, the pound-for-pound king and the only man to wear seven glittering loose belts around his waist and not draw a negative comment from fashion icon Tyra Banks.

In today's standards, given Pacquiao's current iconic status in boxing, Roach's declaration that Pacquiao is an oddball is actually an understatement. Wikipedia defines oddball as unusual or eccentric. Pacquiao is more than unusual. He has transcended the not so usual all-victory and no-loss record by many of the boxing greats. It is now about getting into the edge of what is humanly possible, without the magic and the drugs - only skills and determination. This is what people of all races are hungry about knowing. We crave for answers for questions like "Can he demolish De la Hoya?", "Can he absorb beatings from a true welterweight?", "Is he strong enough to put down a steel-chinned 155-pounder?"

Our demands and clamor are actually what defines the quality of fight Pacquiao delivers. He feeds our cravings to see what we haven't seen yet, so promoters and match makers invent something new out of this necessity. These are the things that make Pacquiao different from the rest - a pure eccentric, an oddball. That is why we cannot ask why the world is watching... because you won't simply see a man like Pacquiao in a generation.

Pacman Day

At exactly six o’clock in the morning today, I was greeted with a text from Mhon, my admin assistant informing me that they have just reached the port of Calapan Oriental Mindoro. He and Harry, our surveyor, left Renaissance Center at 3:00AM and headed south to Panay Island to deliver the relief goods to our co-employees based in Region VI who were devastated by typhoon Frank. The relief goods, composed of canned goods, used clothes, noodles and other packed food, were the voluntary contributions of our co-employees at the head office.

Mhon took heart of my instruction to update me every now and then of their voyage. It is his first time to travel by RORO (Roll-on Roll-off) ship, aside from the fact that typhoons usually hit the country mostly during the months of June to July. But what would be most memorable about this trip is that this is the day when Manny Pacquiao carves out his piece of history to become the only Asian boxer to hold world titles in four different divisions.

As I was just relying on the delayed telecast, I was patiently waiting for the main event, the Pacquiao-Diaz Lethal Combination. While the under card fights were also exciting, nothing could contain my excitement and anticipation of Pacquiao’s bout. Then came the text from Mhon at around 11:00am – Diaz was knocked out in the 10th round! Although I was expecting a win, nothing was sweeter than hearing the fact. I ran outside and joined my neighbors in jubilant celebration. As I was sharing Pacquiao’s 10th round victory, they all corrected me that it was the 9th round. (Mhon later rectified his text saying the knock down happened in the 9th round.)

David Diaz made a gallant stand, but Pacquiao’s speed and power from both hands are too much for him. The match saw a different Pacquiao. He has transformed from a street brawler into a complete tactical fighter. With amazing flair and grace, he achieved what no Asian boxer has done – four championship belts in four different divisons! From around the globe, I’m sure Pacquiao’s legions of fans have increased tremendously. Count Happy, my wife, in. She is now a certified Pacman fan. As Romy Nathanielz puts it, Pacman makes you proud to be a Filipino.

Mabuhay and Pilipino, Mabuhay and Pilipinas!