Behind the fame and glory is the fear of what is yet to come. In every fight Manny Pacquiao—our “Pambansang Kamao” (The National Fist)—engages, his mother, wife, children and supporters are subjected to a roller coaster ride, at times chanting “Manny, Manny, Manny.”
However, in between the rallying and rooting for their idol, is this prayer that nothing serious would happen to him.
In every boxing match won they count the blessings, the fame, and the monetary reward that comes with the belt. When he loses like in the last bout with Cuban boxer Yordenis Ugas, they pray that their idol retire.
Paquiao’s mother, Dionisia, prior to and during each fight, is on her knees praying that her son be spared from anything serious or any life-threatening condition. Senator Manny has been in the ring 77 times. Imagine the emotional stress his beloved mother suffers in every fight. I think it is time for Pacquiao to hang those gloves and give his mother some peace of mind in the twilight years of her remaining life. I am a mother and I know exactly how it is to be subjected to any stress when it comes to the safety of my son.
The abovementioned advice comes from me, a boxing enthusiast, who knows the dangers of constant blows to the head suffered by boxers. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons reported that 90 percent of boxers sustain traumatic brain injury during their career including possible eye injuries and brain diseases.
Very Well Fit cited the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act that seeks to minimize the dangers. We all know what happened to Ali.
“When a boxer gets a direct blow to the head, it is like being hit by a 13-pound bowling ball travelling at 20 mph which is 52 times the force of gravity. A blow can damage the surface of the brain, tear nerve networks, cause lesions or bleeding, or produce large clots within the brain.”
Furthermore, the website reported: “Ex-boxers are more vulnerable to the natural aging of the brain and diseases of the brain. They may be more likely to suffer diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.” This may be the reason why there are a number of medical professionals who believe that more legislation is required to further protect boxers, especially professionals in this sport.
Our Pambansang Kamao is 42 years old. Boxing analysts have observed that in his recent fight against Ugas, Paquiao’s punches were not as hard and his footwork was not as quick.