The Chase
words by rick olivares
photo by mark j. terrill
Manny Pacquiao was a sitting duck. He made sure his arms and gloves protected his face as he stood still with the ropes a hair’s breath behind. Miguel Cotto sent one, two, three punches that sent some of the Filipino’s sweat flying into the ringside area. The crowd gasped as they sensed danger. In boxing, a man may be ahead on points, winning even, but one lucky punch right through a gap and the proverbial tables would have been turned.
Before the outcome of that meticulously planned script that 82 million Filipinos along with Bob Arum and Freddie Roach had planned for could be reduced to tatters, Pacquiao quickly slipped out of harm’s way as Cotto flailed away at the empty space.
With the champion off-balance, the challenger to the Puerto Rican’s World Boxing Organization Welterweight belt then threw some jabs before that almighty left hook – almost the same one that sent Ricky Hatton to La La Land a few months earlier – dropped Cotto to his knees; his second knockdown in the fight.
Cotto then changed his rules of engagement and danced out of danger from the sixth round onwards. Although still dangerous as he had knocked out nine men after the sixth round (to the Filipino’s four), he would stick and jab then backpedal away before Pacquiao could counter.
It was obvious then – the champion was the hunted. And Manny Pacquiao, who smelled blood in the water, proceeded to give chase.
The quest for seven boxing titles in different weight classes in different boxing organizations began as an improbable feat as any. Like winning 70 games in an NBA season, going undefeated in 38 English Premier League matches in a season.
But that’s the beauty of sports, as the Chicago Bulls and Arsenal respectively turned the impossible into a reality in their own leagues and in their own sports.
So why not Pacquiao?
It was theorized that the last time he lost a fight – to Erik Morales four years and eight months ago – he spent more time with his extra curricular activities; hence the lack of focus. But remarkably, Pacquaio has not changed much of routine in his succeeding fights and look where it has landed him – 10 straight wins heading into his tussle with Cotto.
During that streak, he won four titles including the World Boxing Council International Super Featherweight Title from Hector Velasquez, the WBC and vacant Ring Magazine World Super Featherweight Title from Juan Manuel Marquez, the WBC World Lightweight Title from David Diaz, and the International Boxing Organization and Ring Magazine World Light Welterweight Titles from Ricky Hatton.
Count them and count them out. That’s four world champions he dethroned. So what ghosts was he chasing on his way to immortality?
Surely he has already surpassed the late great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde. But after mercilessly mowing down the competition and Mexicans in particular, who else is there but the Golden Boy?
The great Oscar de la Hoya held six titles in six different weight classes. When Manny followed that up with his two-round masterpiece against Hatton, the Man from Gen San was tied with the Man from East LA. But by virtue of his sending the Barcelona Gold Medalist into retirement for good with an eight round beating, he also stripped Oscar of the moniker of “Golden Boy. ” That nickname first belonged to another Filipino champion fighter – Louie Espinosa and to quote Bono when U2 sang their version of the Beatles’ ‘Helter Skelter:’ “This is the song that Charles Manson stole from the Beatles. We’re stealing it back.”
Got that right.
And this is the Pacman who believes that is better to give than to receive. Cotto, who many said would be the man to stop Pacquiao, showed that he could take the punishment and give it back in short bursts rather than flurries that would put lesser fighters down, but his face was being re-landscaped by the Pacman.
After that second knockdown, Cotto, was just trying to stay alive. So he would stick and jab and right (he actually hurt Pacman as well) before Pacquiao could mount a counter-offensive, he retreated and left the challenger a little frustrated.
Pacquiao started somewhat cautiously to get a better feel of Cotto’s power. But once he introduced the Puerto Rican to his fists, he had to give chase for the Cotto began to retreat.
So it was just a matter of time as well as if and when Cotto would kiss the canvass. Even if it had gone to the scorecards, anything less than a unanimous decision would have been highway robbery. But when referee Kenny Bayless, who’s worked several of Pacquiao’s fights now, stopped the match 55 seconds into the 12th and final round, it was more of a relief. The champ was actually the sitting duck; not Pacquiao.
And by the time Manny was done chasing Cotto all over the ring, he came away with some impressive vital statistics. He served up a knuckle sandwich of 336 punches to Cotto’s 172 and 276 of them were power punches (so hard were Pacman’s punches that he hurt them in the process).
With his 11th consecutive victory, Pacquiao was now at 55-3-2 with a title belt at a seventh weight class. While carried aloft on his supporters’ shoulders, he wore a different kind of bling – title belt including the WBO Welterweight one he tenderized Cotto for.
"This is the last weight division for me," Pacquiao said in much better English. "It's history for me and more importantly a Filipino did it."
So what left is there for him to chase?
None. This time, he’s just adding… to his legend.
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This also appears in my Business Mirror column of Tuesday November 17:
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/sports/18577-pacquiaos-just-addingto-his-legend.html
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