PACQUIAO: "I'LL BE BACK"
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 09 May 2015
LOS ANGELES, Cal. -- Manny Pacquiao is a man who sees life as he had seen it before. He spent his youth in the ghetto of Barangay Labangal in far away General Santos City where at a tender age of six, he gathered firewood in the mountains and sold them to help his mother rear his sisters and brothers.
While in Manila, he lived on the streets, earned a living as a construction worker and a baker and sold flowers on the side.
When he grew up and became a boxer, Pacquiao emerged as one of the most honest athletes in the history of any sport. He's as
sincere as one who sees no need to lie. One who sees no fear.
He sees a lot of wrong committed in his country, so besides practicing his profession, he turns to government service to serve his people.
"We are on God's side," he often professes as a religious leader. When he loses a fight, he tells his relatives and friends, "I'll be back. We'll be back with the help of God."
Last Wedesday, three days following his defeat to Floyd Mayweather Jr with a torn right rotator cuff that needed surgery here in Los Angeles, he sent a message to his worried countrymen back home not to be sad, not to worry as he's okay.
Before a host of visitors in is residence here, he declared: "I know our kababayans are sad for my failure to win the fight. I know they're worried from what would be the result of my operation."
"Pakisabi sa kanila, wala silang dapat ikalungkot at ikatakot. Tatayo akong muli at magpapagaling para muling lumaban for them and for flag and country," he told this writer drawing nods from his guests.
"Tell them to just pray for me as I pray for them," the former World Boxing Organization welterweight champion said. "I pray na sana ay walang masamang mangyari sa ating mga kababayan. Na kahit na ako ay malayo sa kanila ay sila pa rin ang nasa isipan ko."
"When the Lord closes a window, he opens a door which is bigger kaya mas maraming grasya na darating," he philosophized. "What happened to me is not a curse but a reminder that I should do more to the spread his words and live by them."
"I'll move on," he vowed. "While I'm in the process of rehabilitation and healing at walang laban, I will spend more time with my family, my wife and five children. As a government official, I will have more time in service to our people," the Sarangani Congressman said.
The following day, more visitors came to sympathize with him in his hour of sadness, among them, his chief trainer Freddie Roach, conditioning coach Justin Fortune and fellow athlete and kumpadre Robert "Sonny" Jaworski.
He was given by his doctor until 12 months to heal his wounds, but the ever optimistic Pacquiao told Roach and Fortune, he only needs four months to bounce back and, perhaps, fight before the year ends.
Fortune reminded him with a wide grin that he needs more time to rehabilitate and that he should take it easy for he still has a lot of time to recover and wear his fighting gloves once again.
Amazed by what he heard, Jaworski, basketball's living legend, murmured, "Bilib talaga ako sa taong ito, katatapos pa lamang ng operasyson, gusto na naman agad lumaban."
"Indeed, he can move on as fast as he can," Jawroski, "Jawo" and the "Big J" to his fans," said. "Hindi ako magtataka na baka bukas lang o sa makalawa makita nating nakasuot na ng glab at nag-e-ensayo na."
Top photo: Trainer Freddie Roach and conditining coach Justin Fortune visited Pacquiao after Pacquiao's shoulder operation.
Pacquiao with Philippine basketball legend Robert Jaworski.
Photos by Wendell Rupert Alinea.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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