By Karim ‘Kato’ Godfrey: Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime – On Saturday May 7th the world will once again witness one of the most exciting fighters in action as Manny Pacquiao defends his WBO 147-pound title against future Hall-of-Famer Sugar Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The media coverage for this fight has been very good and CBS/Showtime has done a great job getting the word out. I was even shocked to see a Manny Pacquiao related article in the Sports section of the Orlando Sentinel today. Everyone’s buzzing; from the barbershops to the corporate offices.
When the fight was first announced it was blasted and criticized as a total mismatch based on Mosley’s last performances. However, regardless of the backlash, it seems that Shane has gotten some traction and some people think he could pull off the biggest upset since Buster Douglas did it against Mike Tyson. This would indeed be news worthy but I don’t think it will happen. Freddy Roach has indicated that this is one of the best training camps he’s had with Pacquiao since the Cotto fight. Manny seems to be extra sharp and a focused Manny is a dangerous Manny.
The thing that strikes me so profoundly about Manny is the kind of worldwide sensation he has become. We have not seen popularity like this since Mike Tyson laced up the gloves and before that, Mohammed Ali. Is Pacquiao’s popularity on par with these boxing Legends or is he just the next media created sensation of the moment?
Manny has been wowing boxing fans in his native Philippines for years before he made his big US debut 10 years ago against Lehlohonolo Ledwaba. It was during this fight that I was first introduced to the likes of Manny Pacquiao. He was a skinny Filipino kid who looked raw; even amateurish at times but who had a work-rate comparable to Julio Cesar Chavez.
It was almost comical to hear ‘Big’ George Foreman butcher his name, “ P-a-c-a-y-o, P-a-c-k-a-y-o…”, “Say P-a-c-q-u-i-a-o”, Jim Lampley implored. By the end of the fight everyone knew who Pacquiao was and all three HBO commentators couldn’t wait to see him in action again. What was so special about him though?
Between 2003 and 2008 Manny took on Future Hall-of-Famers Barrera, Morales and Marquez. Each spectacular showing was better than the last and Manny showed us first-hand why he is special. Manny brings non-stop excitement for the full 3 minutes of every round and always takes the fight to his opponents. He isn’t a slick boxer that relies on defense and lateral movement, he’s an ‘in your face’ brawler that just doesn’t let off the gas. After beating the Mexican Trio, Manny was now a star and the media started to pay attention. His ascension to superstardom had begun.
He then moved up in weight and took out David Diaz with an amazing KO stoppage. Then, he shocked the world by forcing the great Oscar De La Hoya to quit. Then, in what is considered the best KO victory of his career, he dispatched Ricky Hatton in 2 rounds. And then he stopped a still capable Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao had reached the plateau and secured his legacy for all time.
These performances showed qualities that make casual fans take notice and the hardcore fans rejoice. Everyone loves a fighter who comes to fight and is willing to go out on his shield. Manny is that kind of fighter, he’s willing to take risks in order to give the fans a good show. Manny is the epitome of ‘The Peoples Champion’. He wants to give the fans an exciting show and will constantly test his own manhood to do so. We appreciate that. We know the dangers and risks involved and we will get behind anyone who shows true warrior spirit in the ring.
Aside from his in ring performances, Manny is one of the nicest guys you could possible meet. He is humble, grounded and he hasn’t forgotten his meager beginnings. Despite his worldwide superstar status, Manny has kept himself grounded and has gone so far to help his countrymen that he is now a full fledged member of congress in the Philippines.
So, did the media create him? Is he just the next Justin Beiber of the moment? Everything points to a resounding ‘No’. Hard work, dedication, intestinal fortitude, his willingness to please the fans, taking on top notch opponents and his outside the ring endeavors are all what makes Manny who he is. He has matured over the years, but he still has that same boyish charm as he did when he made his big US debut 10 years ago. He is no flash in the pan, media created circus as others have alluded to. He’s the real deal, and the masses can’t be all wrong. It’s just a matter of the media finally catching up to what we hardcore fans already knew, seeing him for the first time 10 years ago.