PACQUIAO ENCOURAGES BAUTISTA NOT TO GIVE UP
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 14 Aug 2007
Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao who is acknowledged as a hero for opening the doors to several young Filipino boxers to be able to make a name for themselves in the United States has encouraged Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista not to give up because of the first round knockout he suffered at the hands of WBO super bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce De Leon on Sunday.
After his stunning loss the crestfallen 21 year old who felt he had let the country and his supporters down said he wanted to quit boxing but Pacquiao urged him not to citing his own career.
Pacquiao recalled his first KO loss to Rustico Torrecampo after eleven straight wins when he stopped for two months. Pacquiao said ?after that I realized that all athletes will suffer losses and we must look at what we did wrong or what was lacking.?
He said ?I myself was not used to losing but I said to myself I lost because God gave me a lesson because at that time I was swollen headed and I was cocky. But I am a frank person and I didn?t deny that I was cocky. It was then that I realized that no matter what I achieved I wouldn?t change and the triumphs will come.?
Pacquiao confessed that he though Bautista was up against a really strong champion and would be in trouble but ?I prayed for him and hoped that he would win.? He said Bautista ?can come back because he is young. He has almost everything as a fighter. He is strong but he lacks experience and head movement in the ring. That?s all he needs to do and he will be hard to beat.?
Pacquiao told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today in the face of some criticism that he virtually abandoned Team Philippines that ?I didn?t have to be there but I prayed for them and I am very happy because our fighters brought honor to our country.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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