PACQUIAO FIGHTS FOR LITTLE PRINCESS TOO
By Emmanuel B. Villaruel
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 25 Sep 2007
Everytime he climbs the ring, Filipino sports hero Manny Pacquiao fights not only for personal glory and the nation's pride, but also for his family.
And with the arrival of his little 'Princess' Mary Divine Grace a year ago, the Pacman breathes a new air of inspiration to further cement his status as one of the world's most exciting and best pound-for-pound warriors today.
When his wife Jinky gave birth to their baby girl last year at the General Santos Doctors' Hospital, Pacquiao was nowhere in sight. He is miles and miles away training hard for his rubbermatch with Mexican nemesis Erik Morales in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao made up from his absence by knocking Morales out in just three rounds and then threw the grandest of all baptismal rites Gensan ever had for his 'Princess' at the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage on December 17, which also coincides with his 28th birthday and the blessing of his P35-million mansion.
On October 1, Pacman's 'unica hija' will celebrate her first birthday. Unfortunately, Pacquiao won't be around again in the memorable moment of his third child. By that time, he is already traveling to Las Vegas to taper off for his keenly-awaited return bout with Marco Antonio Barrera on October 6 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel Resort and Casino.
Deep inside, Pacquiao is sad that he can't be with his family and give his Princess one big hug in that special event. But he is consoled by the wisdom that everything he does is for his family.
"Family man ako. Lahat nang aking pagsisikap at sakripisyo ay para sa aking pamilya. Tiniis ko lahat ng hirap para mabigyan ko sila nang magandang kinabukasan (I'm a family man. All my hardwork and sacrifices are for my family. I bear all the hardships so I can give them bright future)," said Pacquiao.
"Nakakalungkot ngang isipin na wala ako noong siyay ipinanganak at ngayon na mag-one year old na siya wala ulit ako. Kaya pagsisikapan ko na matalo si Barrera. Eto na seguro ang pinakamagandang regalo na maibigay ko sa aking baby girl (I's sad to think that I was not there when she was born and now that she is turning one year old, I'm also not around. That's why
I will try my best to beat Barrera. This might be the best birthday girl I can give to my baby girl)," added Pacquiao.
Pacquiao completed an extensive five-week training regimen in Cebu, logging 112 rounds of torrid sparring sessions at the RWS Gym owned by top Cebuano boxingman Rex "Wakee" Salud. He arrived on Sunday morning in Los Angeles and will immediately plunge back into hard training today at the Wild Card Gym under the watchful eyes of his celebrated American trainer Freddie Roach.
Pacquiao is expected to spar for 18 up to 26 rounds at the Wild Card Gym against Mexicans David Rodela and Raymundo Beltran, the same sparmates who toughens him up while he trains here in the Queen City of the South.
Roach has already declared Pacquiao is 100 percent ready to face Barrera and that his ward is very much prepared for whatever the "Baby-Faced Assasin" from Mexico brings into the fight.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Emmanuel B. Villaruel.
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