Then, Bring In The Young Ones
By Manny Piñol
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 17 Nov 2010
Having been involved for a long time in the job of serving and pleasing people, I have long accepted the truth that you simply cannot please everybody.
After a brilliant performance against Antonio Margarito which installed him as one of the greatest boxers of all time, Manny Pacquiao is now getting brickbats for supposedly fighting aging and faded fighters.
While these could be easily dismissed as the whining of sourgrapers, a close look at the list of the last six victims of Manny Pacquiao would indeed give a bit of credence to that claim.
With the exception of Joshua Clottey, everybody else indeed may have been seasoned and elder fighters. Margarito, Cotto, Dela Hoya, Hatton, Barrera and Morales may have been indeed past their prime when they fought Pacquiao.
But was it Manny Pacquiao's fault? Hell, no!
His opponents were chosen according to the degree of excitement the bout would be able to elicit and what would be their contribution to the Filipino boxing icon's quest to rewrite boxing records.
Beyond all these, everybody must realize that boxing is entertainment. Fights are arranged according to the interest they generate among boxing fans. The match-ups are planned taking into consideration how many thousands could be drawn to the Cowboy Stadium or the MGM Grand and how many millions would be willing to shell out $50 for the Pay-Per-View.
But then again, to satisfy these Pacquiao nitpickers, let me forward this suggestion. You really want a younger, equally popular and brilliant opponent for Manny Pacquiao?
Why don't you bring into the ring for Manny Pacquiao's first defense of the WBC junior middlweight title a 20-year-old fighter who is considered as the Golden Boy of Mexican boxing now- Saul Canelo Alvarez?
Alvarez, who stands 5'9" would be shorter than Antonio Margarito. But he has an impressive record of 34 wins with 26 KOs and 1 draw.
He is now the reigning WBC junior middlweight Silver champion which is actually the junior belt of the title being held by Manny Pacquiao.
Now, that would be a great match-up. Following his victory over former world champion Carlos Manuel Baldomir last Sept. 18, Alvarez said in a post-fight interview that he was ready for the big fights.
What could be bigger than a match-up against the "ageing" Manny Pacquiao who at 32 would be 12 years senior than the Mexican Golden Boy?
But believe me, if the fight happens and Pacquiao shellacks Canelo Alvarez just like the others, these same whiners now would again complain that Manny Pacquiao won over a kid with traces of milk in his lips.
Oh, well. You will never be able to please everybody.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Manny Piñol.
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