By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Sportsman-businessman Antonio “Tony” Aldeguer, the respected Cebu boxing patron for whom many – sportswriters, boxers and their families have a great deal of affection, paid tribute to Manny Pacquiao whom we have hailed as “a national treasure” for what he has done for boxing and for Filipino boxers. That’s the kind of gentleman Tony is Gives credit where credit is due and is thankful for the help and concern of others.
Indeed, our encounters with scores of boxing writers and TV and radio sports personalities in the US as well as promoters like Top Rank’s Bob Arm whom we first met at Malacanang during the 1975 Ali-Frazier ”Thrilla in Manila” and Erik Morales’ manager Fernando Beltran , all point to the fact that Pacquiao has been the key not just to unlocking the doors and opening the vaults of US promoters but earning respect for our nation.
Most fight fans are simple, down-to-earth individuals who see, in the skill and more importantly the courage and gallantry of a fighter, a reflection of his people and of his country and Pacquiao has been a shining example of what the Filipino truly is.
In fact, during the news conference to launch the Pacquiao-Morales rematch
Recently, Pacquiao’s phone rang when Beltran was speaking and the quick-witted Mexican said “that’s President Arroyo calling. She’s getting nervous.” It summed up in the most graphic fashion just how much Pacquiao means to the Philippines which is a fact recognized internationally. It also showed that the whole boxing world at least knows that President Arroyo cares for Pacquiao and has been an integral part of the Filipino ring idol’s career no matter what anybody says.
While many of us often show our concern over Pacquiao’s tendency to spend late nights playing pool or at cock-fighting derbies where he is known to throw away money earned by his tremendous sacrifices in the ring, its because we care for him not because we wish to dictate on him how he should run his life. That’s his call and we respect that. But he is, as we christened him before, a national treasure and all of us, eighty million Filipinos want to protect this treasure, this priceless possession.
For all his shortcomings Pacquiao is a good and decent young man and an explosive fighter who has earned the respect and admiration not only of his people but of the international boxing community. What impresses us even more is the fact that despite being in the middle of training, making immense sacrifices by not being with his family this Christmas and New Year as well as not celebrating his birthday with family and friends in General Santos City, Pacquiao continues to look after the welfare of other fighters.
When we spoke to Manny by overseas telephone on Christmas Day, Pacquiao showed his elation over the guts of Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista in getting off the canvas from a hard knockdown in the second round to batter Mexican veteran, hard-hitting Gerardo Espinoza en route to an impressive unanimous points decision He was thrilled that Bautista appeared to be following in his footsteps and was “a courageous kid” pointing out that he’d love to have him by his side on the world boxing stage.
Pacquiao also asked us about the performance of Gerry Penalosa in his last fight against Paraguayan bantamweight champion Dario Azuaga and said he was happy for the former world champion and had arranged a fight for him on January 20 and was also working on a world title fight against IBF champion Rafael Marquez. It demonstrated his concern and interest in his fellow countrymen whom he obviously wanted to help using his example as a selling point and his growing influence with promoters. And he did all this while training for the biggest fight of his life.
We have never ever regretted referring to Pacquiao as a national treasure. Indeed he has proved he more than deserved the accolade.
