A CLASS ACT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 10 Dec 2008
When the thrill of Manny Pacquiao?s resounding victory over Oscar De La Hoya and the fact that we felt even more elated because we had consistently picked Pacquiao to win died down, we felt a tinge of sadness as we watched a lonely De La Hoya seated on his stool, his good looks spoiled by a welt under his left eye and an expression of utter helplessness.
It was obviously impossible for him to fathom what went wrong and how and why he had to take the beating of his life from a smaller man who had gone up two divisions to fight him and in a sense to embarrass him.
But for all the pain reflected in his forlorn look and the sadness in his eyes, De La Hoya must feel a sense of satisfaction that the younger man who had beaten him still referred to him as ?my idol no matter what happened.?
That was a remark that must have soothed the pain even as it showed the innate class of Manny Pacquiao whose ability to respect his opponents has been a hallmark of his career.
We could never forget how, after pulverizing David Diaz in their WBC lightweight title fight and knocking him out, Pacquiao didn?t gloat over his victory or act like a conquering gladiator that he was. Rather, he showed the compassion of a true warrior by bending down to lift his battered foe off the canvas and by so doing won the admiration of Diaz and the entire boxing community.
We had the impression as we watched the De La Hoya fight that there was a moment when Pacquiao cocked his right hand to throw a punch when Oscar was in deep trouble and would probably have dropped him, held back and didn?t follow through with the punch. Instinctive or otherwise we felt in that split second Pacquiao honored De La Hoya and his legacy.
While trainer Freddie Roach told Pacquiao to take De La Hoya out in the next round it didn?t happen because the corner decided to call it off after Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer apparently picked up a small give-away towel, waved it at ?Nacho? Beristain and said ?what?s the point.? He didn?t want Oscar to get hurt even as De La Hoya?s lovely wife Millie was in anguish watching her handsome husband take a bad beating.
De La Hoya on his stool before the ninth round during Saturday night's fight with Pacquiao at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Knowing him as we do, Manny was probably relieved that he didn?t have to execute what Roach had asked him to do because he is a caring young man who knows how to respect people who have been good, like De La Hoya has to him and to the sport of boxing.
The revered Angelo Dundee who was recruited as a consultant in the De La Hoya camp put it simply but well when he said he was ?grateful to De La Hoya for what he did for boxing.?
Unquestionably the most eloquent comments came from the man who took De La Hoya to unprecedented heights in his career, had a falling out and a legal battle over none other than Pacquiao himself and when the issues were resolved, became a promotional partner.
Arum said as no doubt we all hope, it was De La Hoya?s last fight. He said ?we all have to remember what he did for boxing, what a shining light he was for the sport, how he created interest in the sport and how he really helped the sport for so many years.? ?If he retires,? added Arum, ?God bless him for all he did for boxing.?
De La Hoya was a classy fighter and an even classier human being. His only consolation would be that the young man who beat him also has within him, the kind of class that set them apart. When the two embraced after the fight was over, you could almost feel the genuiness touch you. It was a class act both ways.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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