Thursday, June 14, 2007 Wenceslao: Gwen, Tom ‘bout’ By Bong O. Wenceslao Candid Thoughts
AS great as Manny Pacquiao is in the eyes of Filipinos, the consensus world pound-for-pound boxing best is still Floyd “Pretty Boy” Mayweather Jr. Manny fans are disputing that, insisting that the Pinoy is the better fighter, but the debate can only be resolved inside the ring. The problem is Pretty Boy is heavier than our own Pacman.
There are dream fights and dream fights. When I was younger, there was this simulation of a fight between Muhammad Ali and Rocky Marciano. If I remember it right, Ali was “knocked down” in the bout but proceeded to win by decision. When that “fight” was made Ali was “The Greatest” boxer while Marciano was already dead.
I was therefore amused by the idea of Mayor Tomas Osmeña to amend the Cebu City charter so city voters can vote for the governor. If realized, that would pave the way for this dream fight in the 2007 elections: Gwendolyn Garcia against Osmeña. Note that both Garcia and Osmeña won overwhelmingly over their opponents in the last elections.
If Pacquiao were to fight Mayweather, there has to be a catch weight. Should Pacman bulk up and go to Pretty Boy’s division or should the latter go on a diet so he can dwell in the division of the former? In the case of Gwen vs. Tomas, the “catch weight” should be the post of governor, once the city’s voters are allowed to join provincial polls.
Who will win? Like any dream fights, the debate on this issue will most probably extend to forever. Congressman-elect Pablo Garcia, the governor’s father, has started the ball rolling by comparing the results of the votes in the province with that of the city. His take: Gwen’s majority minus Tomas’ majority, in the last elections, equals a Gwen win.
There is one catch, though, which is the legal one. If another congressman-elect, Pablo John Garcia (Pabling’s son and Gwen’s brother), were correct, then this dream fight won’t happen at all. Under the Constitution, highly urbanized cities, like Osmeña’s turf, are independent of the province, Pablo John insisted. If so, then end of story.
There is another solution to that: Osmeña following PJ’s suggestion to move to Talisay a-la Gabby Leyson. That would qualify him to run against Gwen for governor. But that would be like Pacquiao bulking up to fight Mayweather.
Pacquiao, like Tomas, won’t be able to bring his power to the heavier division. But that is what dream fights are about. To titillate.
