MANNY Pacquiao’s latest win against a young and former undefeated Keith Thurman cemented his legacy as one of the greatest boxers ever. At 40, he is the third oldest to win a world title, behind Bernard Hopkins and George Foreman.
As a boxer, he’s one of the best already. But if you look at his athletic skills overall, he might be in a stage of his own. An elite boxer, a basketball player, an above average pool player and chess player. Sure, he shoots funny in basketball and his pro stint may be just a marketing stint, but you can’t deny he got some moves. Roy Jones Jr. also played semi-pro hoops, but add chess and pool to Pacman’s abilities, he’s a unique talent.
A lot of people may beat Pacquiao in billiards; I’ve heard of stories of how hustlers supposedly set Pacquiao up for a big pay day. But I don’t think there’s a lot who can beat Pacquiao in billiards and chess, rarer still would the guy who can beat Pacquiao in billiards, chess and basketball. And the guy who can beat Pacquiao in pool, chess, basketball and boxing? Do the guys who’ve beaten Pacquiao in boxing play other sports too?
Then there’s his musical talent. Vocal skills may be debatable, but he plays the piano and guitar too, all self-taught I’ve heard. All in all, what he has done makes me wonder if he’s a darn genius. There’s his English skills too, which have improved dramatically over the years. (I know of some people who write as atrociously now as they did when Pacquiao was but a bantamweight).
When the Guy Up There was giving out talents, Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao sure got the lion’s share.
Pacquiao is really unique, one that comes rarely. A once in a generation individual or maybe even rarer.
But there is that one side of Pacquiao that stops some from calling him the pride of the Philippines. These some were part of the very vocal Pinoys who lost their voice shouting Manny! Manny! In his previous fights, who made a Sunday fight a family affair. That side of course is the one we often see now, Pacquiao the politician.
Pacquiao the Person, I’ve learned from first-hand stories, is generous to a fault and many Pinoys see Pacquiao the Person in Pacquiao the Politician. But for some, and their number is growing, Pacquiao is a misogynistic and bible-toting homophobic and they can’t separate that from Pacquiao the Boxer. Some even pointed out that he often skips his duties from the government to pursue his boxing career.
I saw an online poll, asking if one should treat Pacquiao the boxer separately from Pacquiao the politician. Almost 90 percent said no. You can’t blame them. We have Pacquiao the Politician because he was (and is) Pacquiao the Boxer.
For some, that will taint his legacy, especially in an age when some of sports’ biggest super stars are speaking out on social concerns. Strangely, that movement has yet to reach our shores.
Who is Manny Pacquiao for you? I guess, I’m lucky as for 36 minutes (or less), I get to separate the Politician from the Boxer. Manny Pacquiao’s story and legend in sports is cemented. His place in politics on the other hand...