17.12.06 – By MICHAEL MARLEY, www.boxingconfidential.com: He will huff and he will puff and I’m sure Manny Pacquaio will blow out his 28 candles on his birthday cake Sunday in General Santos City. So, on his special day, how about the Top Ten reasons why Pacman is the the King of All Boxing as 2006 turns into 2007..
1. Pacman has brought a glow to the face of Larry Merchant. It’s an orange-reddish tint which is usually only produced in men of Sir Lawrence’s age when they take one tablet of Cialis or Viagra. Pacman brings joy to Larry’s heart and soul and that is a good thing.
2. Pacman conducts himself like a gentleman at press conferences. Perhaps he can tutor James Toney and other louts so they can reform their too often boorish behavior in public.
3. Pacman is modest. Unlike PBF, Pound for Pound Biggest Ego around, he does not tell the media that he has surpassed the legendary ring exploits of an Ali or a Robinson. Modesty is becoming when it is real and I am sure it one of the reasons the Pacmaniacs adore him.
4. To use a British expression, Pacman does not slag or insult his present or future opponents. You don’t hear him calling Barrera a taco-eating idiot, Joan Guzman a Dominican dolt or Edwin Valero a vicious Venezeulan. He seems to respect all opponents until the first bell rings. And he has the large “eggs” so that, if it made financial sense he would travel to Santo Domingo to fight Guzman, Mexico City to fight MAB or JM Marquez and to Caracas or Tokyo to fight Valero (who is promoted by Mr, Honda-San of Teiken.) What do I base this on? Well, Pacman went to San Antonio to fight MAB which is the same as fighting a Mexican in Mexico. You can check that out with Sweet Pea Whitaker who did not know that JC Chavez had 60,000 “cousins” until he fought that national idol in San Antone.
5. They never built a monument to Julio Cesar Chavez in Mexico, although both Culiacan and/or Mexico City should have. But they are erecting a monument to Manny in the PI as befitting a national hero. Do you think either Grand Rapids or Las Vegas will ever erect a monument to Mr. F. Mayweather Jr.? It’s more likely PBF commissions his own and puts it in his Vegas backyard. Notice how I avoided using the verb “erect” in reference to those sexual stimulants which, or so I hear, can give one a Larry Merchant like glow of Pacmania excitement.
6. Pacman will probably start getting endorsement deals from ATLA, the American Association of Trial lawyers, or the American Bar Association. With his busy pen, Pacman signs contracts with just about every manager, promoter or boxing agent he meets and spends, oh say, about 20 minutes of time with.
7. Two or three more defeats and I bet Manny is a good enough of a brother to tell Bobby Pacquaio it is time to retire from boxing. Muhammad Ali, stung when his brother Rahaman lost to Dan McAlinden on the first Ali-Frazier fight undercard March 8, 1971, forced Rahaman to hang up the gloves. He then Rahaman a job with a less then detailed description. Once, when asked what service younger brother provided to Muhammad, Ali said, “I pay him $50,000 a year and that ain’t bad for driving and jiving. Bobby Pac can become the driver and jiver for Manny.
8. He’s got three losses and two draws but I cannot remember ever hearing about Pacman turning into a whino meaning a crybaby meaning an excuse-maker meaning a whimp. If memory serves, he did not even moan and groan when the late Agapito Sanchez gave him an Eusebio Pedroza Dirty Tricks Lesson.
9. I think Joan Guzman has the style to befuddle Pacman. I think Pacman handles the fading MAB and JM Marquez. I think Gzuman is much hungrier than MAB and might have a tough fight with would find a way to beat JMM. What makes Pacman-Guzman is great boxing theater is that, peering ahead into 2007, that I make it an even money or pick ’em fight. I cannot think of another “dream match” that I can say that about. Let me know if you can.
10. Pacman has more fans in Cebu City than PBF does in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.
Many happy returns, Manny.
(Michael Marley is considering moving from his present base in “White Harlem” to either Cebu City or Bacalod.)