The Koncz Enigma: In, Out? Fired, Hired? Whatever!
By Manny Piñol
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 27 Jul 2011
The curious case of Michael Koncz, the erstwhile business advisor of Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, has taken us on a series of twists and turns more dizzying and nauseating than Baguio's fabled Kennon Road, where a visitor to the Philippines' mountain resort and Summer Capital goes through a 20-kilometer or so winding road carved out of mountain sides with deep yawning ravines on one side all the way to the top.
First, it was reported that Koncz was replaced as business advisor and a professional accountancy, audit and management team has been signed up to handle all over Manny's financial and pugilistic affairs. The report was confirmed no less than www.mp8.com, which used to be Pacquiao's 'official website' and which lately has disappeared from the internet and replaced by a strange ad selling a house.
The report was met with a vehement denial (strangely) from Top Rank bossman Bob Arum and his publicist Lee Samuels and by Koncz himself.
Later, Pacquiao's lawyer, Jeng Gacal, came up with a media statement saying that Koncz was still in but his "powers have been clipped." And finally, it was Manny Pacquiao himself who, according to my friend Ronnie Nathanielsz, said Koncz was still with the team and he was not fired.
"Ano ba talaga manoy?" asked one blogger. (What's the real score brother?)
I stand by my story and I will present two arguments to prove it: 1.) Did MP Promotions sign a management contract with the Los Angeles-based VisionQwest, a management, accountancy and auditing firm? Answer: Yes. 2.) Will VisionQwest undertake the tasks previously handled by Koncz (i.e. review of contracts, management of finances and handling of boxing affairs)? Answer: Yes.
End of argument.
Everything that is being done right now is just an effort to save the face of Koncz, who is now the object of scorn by almost all members of Team Pacquiao, and according to reports, including Pacquiao's lovely wife, Jinkee.
So, why is Koncz still hanging around Manny?
This is a question whose answers could very well define the person that is Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao.
"Lahi ug batasan si Manny. Sobra kaboutan," Rex "Wakee" Salud, one of the closest confidants (but certainly not one who has his eyes on Manny's wealth) explained to me yesterday when we were trying to decipher and understand the meaning of Pacquiao's latest actions. (Manny is a unique breed. He is too kind.)
Wakee said Pacquiao, while a ferocious fighter inside the ring, does not have the heart to say hurting words to anybody.
"Humok kaayo ug kasingkasing," Salud said referring to Manny. (He is too softhearted.)
Salud recounted that he once confronted Pacquiao about the presence in his group of people who took money from him and who have taken advantage of his kindness.
"Naglagot ko kay naa pa sila sige sunod-sunod kay Manny bisan pa nga nadakpan na nga nangawat," Wakee said. (I was peeved because they were still hanging around Manny even after they were caught stealing Manny from him.)
"Diyos ra ang magbout sa ila," was what Salud remembered Manny as telling him after the confrontation. (God will take care of them.)
And so this saga about Koncz being retained in Team Pacquiao is not about Koncz being Koncz who reportedly could not be fired because he knows many of Manny's secrets.
This is about Manny Pacquiao being Manny Pacquiao, an overly softhearted person who could not hurt a fly outside the ring and an excessively kind human being who could easily forgive even those who seriously wronged him.
This is an admirable character of a person but I honestly doubt if this excessive kindness to the point of being perceived as naive would work well for Manny Pacquiao, the political leader.
You see from what I learned in history, the best leaders were both benevolent but firm, kind but decisive. And Manny, who some people said, could be a Presidential hopeful in 2022 would help himself a lot by reading the old pages of history books on the world's best leaders.
As for Michael Koncz? In, Out, Fired, Hired? Whatever!
He is just one of the flies in the sea of a fragrant oil called Manny Pacquiao.
Top photo (L-R): Roach, Koncz and Salud.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Manny Piñol.
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