Re: Manny Pacquiao Retires
We boxing fans always say “they don’t make them like that anymore” ….. well, somebody did when they created Manny Pacquiaio
His story would be panned as ridiculous if it was a Hollywood film. Born into absolute grinding poverty, in a country with little opportunity to escape it and with hardly any history of glorious boxers …. After losing fights due to hunger and lack of training opportunities, He exploded onto the scene almost by pure luck, after being selected as a late replacement opponent.
That style was unique to him; blinding speed of hand and foot, relentless pressure and his use of weird angles combined with devastating power. He provided us with a highlights reel that could have come out of a video game, they looked so jaw droppingly astonishing. His knockout of poor Ricky Hatton was like watching Usain Bolt run the 100 metres. His savaging of the feared Antonio Margarito made me rub my eyes in disbelief.
Pacquiao ducked nobody. He fought everyone he possibly could, including when he was past his best. At his core, a man who loved to fight. His resume stands up to anyone in history
And in an age of manufactured feuds, trash talk, social media influencing and posturing - in the toughest, most unforgiving sport of them all ……. He smiled, giggled, said nice things about his opponents and looked like he enjoyed every second of his career. Which of us could say that, whatever job we do?
His transcending of the sport, especially in the Philippines, was up there with Pele, Ali, Bolt and anyone else you care to mention.
I have no idea of his politics, what he thinks about things, what his marriage is like - and I don’t really care.
What a great great career Champ. Thanks for the memories and emotions I will never forget. You would have been competitive with any fighter who has ever stepped in a ring from flyweight to welterweight. That is Henry Armstrong and Ray Robinson territory
All the best for your future.
If God wanted us to be vegetarians, why are animals made of meat ?
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