Sometimes it is still hard for me to believe that the same guy I met ten years ago at the Wildcard Boxing Club, who smiled and made sure he would say hi to everyone, that it is the same guy that battered Miguel Cotto into submission two years ago, that is the same Manny that gave me a signed autographed glove to auction off for an ill child in Chicago who also knocked out Ricky Hatton with such a violent force that made his fiancé cry and many in the arena wonder if Ricky would ever get up. That is the paradox of boxing super star/congressman, Manny Pacquiao.
“My concern is how to make people happy,” said eight division world champion, Pacquiao during Los Angles press conference. He will get a chance to do just that when he defends his welterweight crown and a pound for pound number one ranking against Sugar Shane Mosley on May 7th in Las Vegas.
People love him for his genuine kindness, like adapting down on their luck fighters and opening his home to them, feeding the hungry or giving away money to people in Philippines, but make no mistake, the same people crave his relentless violence in the squared circle.
“He is a punching machine!” exclaimed a boxing fan in Glendale when asked what he thought about Manny Pacquiao. In turn, the punching machine, Pacman almost sounds apologetic after every fight. “It’s nothing personal,” said Pacquiao after he battered Antonio Margarito for twelve rounds and broke his eye socket:” I am just doing my job.”
His job is to produce extreme carnage in the ring. His next assignment is Shane Mosley.“I’m excited for this fight because Mosley can throw a lot of punches and he wants to fight toe-to-toe, said Pacquiao during a telephone conference yesterday:” Mosley, he’s former pound-for-pound champion and he’s a good fighter, and a comeback fighter also.”
True to his nature Pacquiao never talks bad about his opponents.“Shane Mosley is still very strong and he moves more like he’s 30 years old. He’s the kind of fighter who is bigger than me. Pound-for-pound he’s still good,” said Pacquiao, 32: “This fight is bigger than the Margarito fight because Mosley moves fast and he has good speed and power. That’s what I want. He throws a lot of punches. It will be good for us and it will be a good fight.”
Most pundits believe that Manny will simply be too much for aging warrior Mosley. In fact, Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza said that Manny would start breaking Shane Mosley down by the fifth round. Ever so humble warrior, Manny Pacquiao has another take on the task ahead: “We’re not focused for the knockout. All we do is work hard and if the knockout comes, it comes. We’ve prepared ourselves for fighting 12 rounds.” That is the essence of the pride of the Philippines, Manny Pacquiao.
“When I think of what I have accomplished in boxing I’m amazed,” continued Pacquiao over the telephone:” It’s more than I ever dreamed. It’s kind of amazing, and it’s because of my hard work. But that’s my job – to work hard.”
Source: Examiner.com
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