PAGBABALIK TANAW SA NAKARAAN
By Manny Pacquiao
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 31 Aug 2008
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Kumusta po ulit sa lahat ng masusugid kong tagasubaybay at sana ay nasa mabuti kayong kalagayan saan mang panig ng mundo kayo naroroon.
Opo, siguro, kung hindi pa ninyo nababalitaan, sa Disyembre 6, malamang magkakasama tayong lahat ulit upang bilang iisang lahi, bansa at liping Filipino ay sabay-sabay tayong manonood ng aking laban. Matapos ang maraming araw ng pag-iisip at negotiations, tuloy na po ang sagupaan namin ng Golden Boy ng boxing, si Oscar Dela Hoya.
Gaganapin ang laban sa MGM Grand Arena sa Las Vegas at ito ang sinasabi ng lahat na siyang pinakamalaking boxing event na mangyayari sa taong ito. Opo, mas malaki pa ito kaysa sa pagkakapanalo ko ng World Boxing Council super-featherweight title noong March 15 at ang pagkopo natin sa WBC lightweight crown noong June 28 lamang.
This is going to be a worldwide event where not only Filipinos will be watching me fight one of the best fighters in the sport of boxing and probably one of the richest and most influential superstars in all of sports. Everyone will be watching.
Naaalala ko pa po noong taong 2001, June 22 to be exact, nang una kong makasama at makita si Oscar Dela Hoya sa isang promotion, sa weigh-in ng kanya-kanya naming laban. Siya ang main event sa laban at ako ang isa sa undercard. Kasama dun ang yumaong si Agapito Sanchez na isa rin sa mga makakalaban ko sa susunod na ilang buwan, at ang sumisibol pang si Jermain Taylor, na lumaban sa isang four-rounder.
Sa poster ng fight, si Oscar ay lumaban para sa WBC light middleweight title kontra kay Javier Castillejo habang ako naman ay sumagupa sa kinatatakutang Afrikano na si Lehlo Ledwaba para sa IBF super-bantamweight championship. Maituturing na baguhan pa lang ako sa pandaigdigang audience noong panahon na iyon. Speak little English pa ako noon. Nakakatuwa pero iyon naman po talaga ang totoo. May interpreter pa ako noon.
Nakakatuwang isipin na pito at kalahating taon ang makakalipas, kaming dalawa ni Ginoong Dela Hoya ang magkakaharap ulit para sa main event ng pinakamalaking laban ng 2008, sa parehong hotel sa Las Vegas, Nevada. Siya ang tinanghal na 154-pound champion seven years ago. Ako naman ang 122-pound champion that time.
Seven years more from 2001 and 25 pounds heavier, I will face the man who I admired most for his speed and wisdom in the ring. Oscar and I will be fighting for boxing's most glorious win in the 147-pound limit.
Para tayo ay magwagi dito sa laban na ito, importante para sa akin ang maging mapagkumbaba at ang pagbalik-tanaw sa aking nakaraan, gaya noong araw ng aking unang laban sa US at sa pay-per-view. Ang taong hindi marunong tumanaw sa pinanggalingan, hindi makakarating sa paroroonan. Naniniwala po ako diyan.
Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think and imagine that I will be fighting the same man who was then a superstar and is still the sport's biggest draw. But I believe that after seven years of fighting, I have grown better, more mature and wiser as a fighter and as a person. I also know that I have the capability of scoring an upset over my boyhood idol.
Ito ang isa sa mga magiging batayan at marka ng aking boxing career at gaya ng dati, hihingin ko po ulit ang tulong at dasal ng bawat isa sa inyo upang sa huli, lahat tayo pa rin ang magwawagi.
Hanggang sa muling Kumbinasyon. God bless us all.
Top photo: Pacquiao (R) throws a jab at Ledwaba during their title bout in 2001.
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This article is also available at Abante Online.
Send your comments to Manny Pacquiao at mannypacquiao@abante-tonite.com
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