An insider report: LIKE WINE, MANNY PACQUIAO GETS BETTER AS HE AGES
By Manny Piñol
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 08 Apr 2015
It was almost 20 years ago when I first met Manny Pacquiao.
I was a new Governor of North Cotabato and Manny was a new world boxing champion having knocked out Thailand's Chatchai Sasakul to win the flyweight crown.
As a true-blue boxing man, I was Manny Pacquiao's fan and somehow, the fact that we have the same name, Emmanuel, and celebrate our birthdays a day apart of each other - his Dec. 17 and mine Dec. 16 - brought us very close together.
By February of 1999, I staged Manny's first fight after winning the WBC flyweight title, a 10-round non-title in Kidapawan City, capital of North Cotabato. The unfinished provincial gym was filled to the rafters with a crowd estimated at 20,000.
I was involved in promoting two more of his fights after that, including his one-round demolition of Thailand's Frakhaporb Rakkiatgym in Davao City on Oct. 26, 2002.
Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte, also a die-hard Pacquiao fan, supported the boxing promotion in the RMC Gym which gave Manny his first multi-million purse - P10-M.
As Pacquiao conquered the world of boxing with one sensational victory after another, I was content with watching him from the sidelines.
When he suffered that devastating knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in their 4th meeting, I was with him in his Gen. Santos City home when almost all of the familiar faces who hovered around him in his moments of glory were nowhere to be seen.
Last week, Manny Pacquiao, preparing for the biggest fight of his career which could install him as the greatest boxer of all times, allowed me to watch him in his sparring session at the Wild Card Gym.
I was one of the very few individuals allowed to watch him spar and do drills afterwards to prepare for his mega-million fight against the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Watching him up close, I could not seem to believe that this fighter who used to rely on just a very strong left to score knockout victories has been transformed into a thinking fighting machine who gets inside the ring to fight.
I was amazed by his speed and his sleek movements which I believe would give Mayweather the toughest challenge he has ever faced.
Now considered the underdog against the undefeated American champion, I will not be surprised if Manny Pacquiao scores the biggest upset in his storied boxing career.
But what makes Pacquiao special is not only his incredible boxing skills but his unparalleled loyalty to people who helped him on his way up.
On the way out of Wild Card Gym, Manny Pacquiao placed his heavy left arm on my shoulder and said: "My dear long time friend."
Manny Paquiao is like a very rare wine - he gets better as he ages.
Photo shows Manny Pacquiao and Manny Pi?ol in the former's home in Plymouth, Hancock Park, Los Angeles.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Manny Piñol.
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