By John Woolford: Manny Pacquiao was brutally disposed of within the final second of the sixth round, it was a punch that for many spectators jogged the memory of the 2009 defeat of Ricky Hatton. Never before have we seen a punch so similar than that final knockout punch of ex Heavyweight champion John Tate. Within the final seconds of the 15th round Tate was knocked out flat on his face from a shot from Mike Weaver while for the second time attempting to claim the WBA Heavyweight title back in 1980.
As a 30 year old British citizen reporting from the Philippines you can imagine what atmosphere I’m witnessing here. First of all I watched the disgraceful behavior of the media interviewing the children of Manny Pacquiao straight after their father’s bone crunching knockout, talk about a lack of compassion and respect for those poor kids full of tears. On the other hand Boxing is Boxing and if we’re not willing to risk the emotional damage brought to our children through such a ruthless choice of career simply don’t box.
So here we have it, two great champions putting on a display Boxing fans will remember for decades to come.
Boxers at the top of their game can only take so many shots, look at Ricky Hatton, hard as an oak tree trunk but eventually every chin and liver has a sell by date. Juan Manuel Marquez has been a skilled enough fighter to evade most of the punches thrown at him, if his reflexes were any faster he’d of been able to dodged a bullet. Manny Pacquiao has for nearly all his career been the best brawler in the business like a memory from the golden years of the 1970’s and 80’s. His achievements within this sport is something no boxer has ever accomplished and will struggle to achieve within the coming years.
Many writers attempt to be the final judge of a boxers career while the very few of those writers have actually really stepped into a boxing gym let alone survived three two minute rounds of sparring. To be blunt it’s embarrassing when we read the articles of those who’ve not even come within 1% of what these two fighters today have achieved through their disrespectful style of writing. You can just smell the inexperience of what they’re deluded in what they think they know. they’ve achieved nothing in boxing and have no real respect or understanding for any fighter.
What we’ve seen today has been the icing on the cake, Marquez finally came to inflict a knockout instead of surviving for the sake of a potential points decision. Though Manny Pacquiao has felt the consequence of over working himself through the boxing career of an outright genius brawler, family man, businessmen, Philanthropist and a politician, it shows the result of what we’ve seen today, we can’t be a hero to everyone.
Loser or hero, both fighters have set the example to all the future generations teaching by example that greatness only comes through commitment, bravery, honesty and out right dedication.
As for the great Freddy Roach, he needs to retire, though in 2012 saw him rightly inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame all of his top fighters have all suffered a disastrous year while his deteriorating health continues due to his Parkinson Disease. It’s bad for the psychology of any top fighter to know of his trainers deteriorating health, all top fighters need a physically strong pillar of a trainer so Freddy there is no shame in retiring, you’ve served the sport with dignity and respect.
Both fighters have nothing to prove, as committed family men they both need to retire with their health, family life and finances intact. Remember charity begins at home, not at the door of the fight fan. Let their legacy pave the way for all the future hero’s of boxing.
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