Babe's Eye View article

It’s unbelievable how popular and well known Manny Pacquiao has become all over the world. Even in the deepest recesses of the United States like a small town in Tennessee or somewhere in the Northwest like Boise, Idaho, his name draws instant recognition—no need to explain who or what he is.

In New York City, just the mere mention of Manny Pacquiao can light up the face of a taxi driver and make him go on and on about this Filipino boxer who chopped down to size such great fighters like the Golden Boy and the Hitman. I was simply amazed at the knowledge this guy had—he even knew the name of Pacquiao’s mother, Aling Dionisia. So much so that when I reached my destination and offered him a tip, he refused because he was just so happy to know that I was a Filipino. So much goodwill in such a short time.

Manny is definitely the first Filipino-Asian boxer to land on the cover of Time magazine—which only goes to show that he has become a global figure, generating so much interest and curiosity. As promoter Bob Arum remarked, the Time magazine cover underscores how phenomenal Pacquiao has become all over the world.

As the article pointed out, everybody wants Pacquiao. Global brands want him as endorser and baseball teams want him to throw the ceremonial pitch to attract wider audiences. In fact, he is becoming a “sexy symbol” of sorts, with the ESPN magazine showing his naked torso in its Body issue. People just can’t get enough of him. At the Jimmy Kimmel show, the audience was so delighted when Pacman gamely—and bravely—belted out a song accompanied by a live band. Others would have balked, but not Manny—revealing how confident and comfortable he has become before foreign audiences.

Naturally, with his fame also comes a lot of money—unbelievable amounts of money he has amassed since 2001 when the world first took notice of him—a last minute replacement who wrested the IBF Super bantamweight championship from Lehlo Ledwaba via a TKO. He is the first Filipino sports player to achieve billionaire status, a no mean feat considering that more often than not, boxers squander their earnings and end up dirt poor like what happened to Rolando Navarette. As Time magazine neatly sums it up, Manny Pacquiao’s rise to fame and fortune has gone “from zero to hero.”

Certainly, his rags-to-riches story continues to fascinate and inspire many Filipinos, especially young boys who dream of becoming like their idol who earns millions of dollars in every fight. During his bout with Ricky Hatton last May, the guaranteed purse was $12 million, and I am told the fight today with Puerto Rican champion Miguel Cotto has a guaranteed purse of $18 million.

Yet more than the money, what is also at stake today is a shot at making landmark history—because a win by the Filipino champion will firmly entrench him in the annals of world boxing as the only fighter to ever win world titles in seven weight categories. This is a much anticipated fight which virtually the whole world is waiting for, underscoring to a great extent the phenomenal popularity of this son from Mindanao.

Cotto may be the current WBO welterweight champion, but bettors place him as the underdog at +270 while Pacquiao is the odds-on favorite at 350. Can you imagine, no less than US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton herself has made a fearless forecast at the forum held the other day at the UST. As she said, “Of course the Pacman is going to win; is there any doubt about it?”

The goodwill that Pacquiao has generated especially in the US is simply phenomenal, with Americans chanting his name whenever they see him—outside the gym, on a makeshift arena at MGM Grand as he does the obligatory rounds—everywhere. People find him very charismatic, exuding such a pleasant aura every time he flashes that boyish, almost shy grin. As a matter of fact, an American associate of mine described him as one of the few boxers with a handsome face.

Perhaps, loyal fans see an aura of childlike innocence in their idol, which is why many of them resist the idea of Manny entering the blighted world of Philippine politics. Because of him, the world has come to know of the indomitable spirit of the Filipino, of his perseverance despite great odds, never giving up even when the face of despair and poverty stares him right on the face. It is no exaggeration to say that Manny Pacquiao is one of the reasons why Filipinos can afford to stand tall, proud and dignified before anyone today.

I certainly hope he can put the incredible goodwill he has generated to good use even after he retires by being a global Ambassador of Goodwill instead of wasting time being a Congressman. Manny has carved for himself an unparalleled niche in boxing—but politics in this country is an entirely different sport—one that can easily destroy a person not only financially but even character-wise.

Whatever the outcome of this fight may be, there is no doubt that Manny Pacquiao has already become the most well-known Filipino ever, one that we can all be proud of. He must not allow anything—certainly not politics—to destroy what he has achieved with his sweat and brawn.