(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
In a sports-loaded weekend that included LeBron and the Cavs losing their fourth straight, Roger and Stan winning for Switzerland their first Davis Cup trophy, Lewis Hamilton subduing his teammate Nico Rosberg in Abu Dhabi for the F1 title — the highlight was Manny Pacquiao’s impressive victory over Chris Algieri.
Lopsided? No contest? Walay bout? Not in the same league? Check, check, check, check. All of the above.
But first, Mommy Dionisia. What a character. It’s obvious that the strong persona of Manny came from his mom. What an actress, a stage mom, a prayerful warrior, a newly-in-love woman this lady. Her falling to her knees. Her holding the rosary and blessing a reluctant Manny. She’s as much of a star as her son — in fact, she elicited the loudest cheers when the cameras focused on her. Amazing, remarkable Mommy D.
Chris Algieri? All the ladies in attendance swooned over his good looks. “Pildi si Manny!” the shouts were heard, “Sa pa-gwapohay.” They also commented on the man who stood beside Algieri before the bout’s start. Was that his handsome brother? Well, as it turned out and as everyone predicted, Algieri was just that: all good looks but a mediocre boxer.
MP and CA are not in the same category. One has 60-plus bouts fighting the greatest welterweights of all time; the other is a Big Apple native whose 20 wins came against unknowns.
It showed last Sunday. Alan Choachuy commented: “Algieri better join the Cebu Marathon!” I agree. We’ll ask Rio de la Cruz to give him a complimentary 21K slot. He ran in circles around the square ring. Dr. Ronnie Medalle gave our group (in Ray and Letty Patuasi’s house that included Dr. Grace and Bryan Borja, Atty. Jephte and Sandra Romea, Dr. Ron and Raycia Eullaran) a wise suggestion: Can’t they make the ring much smaller so there’s no escape and no running around?
This was Algieri’s only strategy. Had he engaged, faced the Pinoy squarely, stood his ground and not sidestepped — the fight would have been over in 19 minutes. He did what he had to do and he survived. That was his goal, to last the full 36-minutes distance.
Four times he fell to the floor (plus two more times when he slipped). He stood up, green eyes dazed, lanky legs wobbly, mind vacillating and arms wavering, the tussle in his shoes tired from all the flip-flop — but he fought on. We also have to give him applause. He’s tough. In that Round 9 when he tumbled (I’ve never seen that before!), many a fighter would have folded. They’d have quit. But not the 30-year-old. The following round, his legs sprung to action, his arms active. He was alive. He “won” by simply being able to stand up at fight’s end.
(Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
With Pacquiao, the “disappointment” was the lack of a defining knockout. He tried. And this was a much more aggressive Manny than we’ve seen in his last few contests. Freddie Roach wanted that KO and he broadcasted it. But what to do onstage when your partner won’t dance? “It takes two to tango,” says the line. In boxing, unless the victim wants to be subdued, there’s little you can do if he dances solo.
Here’s the question: Did the God-fearing and now-free-from-vices Manny P. relax in Round 12, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to floor Algieri anyway, and just coast through the final three minutes to pocket his $25 million?
“That was a Christian demonstration and a humane type of boxing,” reported Mayor Michael Rama minutes after the unanimous proclamation. “Manny is a good man. Boxing is not about butchering people.”
With that charismatic smile that Manny flashed and that friendly touch-of-gloves that he invoked upon Algieri prior to R12’s start, yes, I agree, Manny is not the Manny of the 2007 to 2010 era when he would destroy and maim the tomato-faced gladiator fronting him. He’s more compassionate and knows that boxing is savage and it’s man hurting man. He aims to win, gets the win — never mind if there’s no KO — and climbs the ring corner to raise his arms in thanksgiving to the Macau fans and to Almighty God.
(Chris Farina/Top Rank)
