By Michael Marley, courtesy of The Examiner

Bobby Pacquaio's fighting days may be over but there is one ring milestone left for his boxing brother, Manny.

And no one in the world is more convinced that the Pinoy Idol, his older brother, will defeat undefeated American Floyd Mayweather Jr. than Bobby is.

Truth of the matter is that Bobby, who spoke with me on my visit to General Santos City during Manny's successful run for Congress from Sarangani, knows his brother longer and better than anyone not named Pacquiao.

His brother has been his idol since their schoolyard days, back when the family was so poor they couldn't even pay attention.

BPac explained the bad, old days at school and how Manny came to his rescue.

"I was getting picked on and beaten up by some older kids," Bobby said as we spoke at Manny's thriving billiards center in the heart of Gensan.


"I would get beat up and then I would go running for Manny. Manny took care of the bullies in short order and then, suddenly, no one picked on me any more. Along the way, I, too learned to fight in the ring and out and then I could protect myself."

Bobby, who has the look and the cool demeanor of a Clint eastwood type cinematic anti-hero, expressed great optimism about the outcome of the Super Fight between his slugging brother and the stylish, always mobile Mayweather.

"Manny will find a way to beat Mayweather, this I believe," Bobby said. "He will find a way just like he did with Ricky Hatton and with Oscar de la Hoya. Manny always finds a way, he always make the adjustments he needs to make when he needs to make them.

"Mayweather is very, very fast, we know this. It's not like Manny will have to suddenly start studying Mayweather. We know Mayweather, we know what he does. We've been watching Mayweather fight for a long time.

"But Manny's speed, the movement of his hands and his feet, is underated by many. How do you think he overcame Oscar and Ricky? My brother just steamrolled them, really.

"I think the best thing about my brother, other than his deep fighting heart, is that he always looks for improvement, that he never feels he is a finished product," Bobby said. "Manny is always striving to get better in one area or another and his chemistry with Coach Freddie (Roach) is like glue to paper."

There may be a crisis of confidence in the Mayweather-Pacquiao situation.

That could be what's holding up the Big Fight negotiations, I'm not sure.

But I do know this, any hesitation, any lack of confidence that this fight can be won, is not coming out of the Pacquiao clan.

As history tells us, the most dangerous Pacquiao is the one we know best, the quietly confident Manny.
Mayweather may be a different kind of bully, one who offers a lot of blustery chatter and then jabs while in full reatreat for 36 minutes.

But, as far as Bobby Pacquiao is concerned, Mayweather will get sorted out just like the schoolyard bullies did so long ago.