It's been a while since I've liked a boxer as much as I like Pacman, and I've been trying to figure out why that is. I like boxing, but it's been years since I genuinely liked any boxer THAT much as I like Pacquiao.
And then I realized. Pac has budo. It's oozing out of him. Think about it. Do more boxers these days act like pretentious, preening, cocky, arrogant drama-whores or like humble martial artists. Boxing is a martial art, every bit as much as any other art, and it should be respected. And Manny seems to be one of the only guys who respects it as an art, always humble, always grateful. Doesn't have a huge head, doesn't talk trash, fights for honor and for his people. And yet despite being so humble, he respects the art enough to go out there and be an artist and actually put on a show. He's not boring when his fists are flying. He has a style all his own and he gives everything he has. I don't know if he's ever had a boring fight.
Manny Pacquiao = massive budo. When was the last time any boxer could claim that?
Freddie Roach does all the trash talking for him
It's true Pac does have Budo
Good post and I agree totally.
And Freddie Roach doesn't talk trash... he just tells it like it is. I think there's a difference.
Freddie's appears to be trash talking when paired up against Floyd Sr...you take him out of the equation, Freddie is just stating his observations, no personal attacks.
Great thread. Manny proves that you dont have to make a fool out of yourself and turn into a caricature of a person in order to have fans.
Ill never forget the line they used to hype how hungry both fighters were on HBO before he fought Morales.
"Young Morales was raised in some of the worst slums you can find in all of Mexico........yet this was still paradise on Earth compared to the south east asian hell-hole Manny Pacquiao grew up in."
pac man seems classy I must admit and im not really a big boxing fan but I can appreciate a true sportsman who is amazing at his art
"Just be a gentleman, Freddy" sums him up pretty well
"Just be a gentleman, Freddie....I'll handle this."
Understatement of the year
Also made a similar thread - not sure if that link below will work but entitled "My tribute to Manny Pacquiao": http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/mma.cfm?go=forum_framed.posts&thread=1455188
Dude, don't say that out loud. Filipinos will think you mean buto (penis).
Pacquaio has always been humble. It's been great to watch him develop as a fighter. I remember when he burst onto the scene fighting Ledwaba for the 122 lb title on HBO. Ledwaba was actually an excellent African champion, whom was held in high regard and considered the clear favorite going into the fight with Pacquaio. Pacquaio, in fact, had taken the bout on short notice. He was a largely unknown fighter. He was (I believe) 7-0 7ko's at 122, after having started his career at a very young age in lighter weight divisions. (In the flyweight division... Manny had had won a world championship, but lost his title and moved up in weight.) Ledwaba was expected to have little difficulty with the late replacement. Pac absolutely murdered him!!! It was an ass whipping from start to finish. Exciting to watch, and Pac came out looking great. This was in the beginning of his working with Freddie Roach. Roach had been with him for a small period of time prior to that fight, but this is when they really started developing Pacquaio. They just kept polishing that style of his, and Pacquaio was ALWAYS a hard puncher that kept punching no matter what weight class he fought in.
Pacquaio has grown leaps and bounds as a fighter. Look at this performance against Hatton. His right hook is short, quick, and accurate. It was not a weapon earlier on his career. Roach has developed that punch beautifully, along with Pacquaio's footwork and combinations. Pacquaio is an excellent defensive fighter, mainly because of his elusive footwork and amazing handspeed! His timing is excellent; he shoots pin point power shots at blinding speed, with awesome accuracy... I mean, he continues to just sharpen his game and it has truly become a priveledge to watch. The guy is obviously going to go down as an all-time great.
Considering all of this... it's amazing that he is as humble as he is. I totally agree that the large majority of people respect and admire him for that. The Phillipines absolutely adore him, and always have... long before the last few megafights. I'm sure it's at an all-time high, which I believe Roach had said as well, but this guy is so humble he just takes it all in stride and keeps training hard to improve.
deadlyonetwo3 -
Pacquaio has grown leaps and bounds as a fighter. Look at this performance against Hatton. His right hook is short, quick, and accurate. It was not a weapon earlier on his career. Roach has developed that punch beautifully, along with Pacquaio's footwork and combinations. Pacquaio is an excellent defensive fighter, mainly because of his elusive footwork and amazing handspeed! His timing is excellent; he shoots pin point power shots at blinding speed, with awesome accuracy... I mean, he continues to just sharpen his game and it has truly become a priveledge to watch. The guy is obviously going to go down as an all-time great.
Yeah, i mean no one is really perfect from a technical, on paper standpoint but a lot of Pac detractors dont give him enough credit for his improving technique, strategy, increased arsenal, defense, footwork, etc.
Also, just like in MMA, people like to discount those with power but even in Floyd Sr.'s words, what good is power if you cant land with it? Accuracy is one of the most important skills (yes, its a skill) in any type of style where you strike your opponent.
He's not given enough credit for that.
JRS3 - Dude, don't say that out loud. Filipinos will think you mean buto (penis).
I'm marrying a filipina halfie in a month. And she loves the budo, if you know what I mean.
Wasa-B - "Just be a gentleman, Freddie....I'll handle this."
Understatement of the year
Understatement of the millennium (at least for boxing).
Another sign of Pacquiao's budo...
Mistake me if I am wrong, but at no point in his career has Pac dodged or ducked anyone. He fights the best. The only time he ever declined a fight was turning down an immediate 3rd JMM fight, and that was because he already had plans to move UP in weight, which is hardly seeking soft competition. He has never invited a smaller fighter to fight him at his weight. He instead only seeks to move up and fight the best fighters who are BIGGER than him. Instead of taking an easy 135 pound fight or an easy challenger to his most recent 140 pound title, he's probably going to be fighting a beast 147 pounder in Cotto.
This only makes Pac's budo even stronger.
Floyd Mayweather is a great boxer. Technically amazing. Talented as hell. But see how often he invites smaller fighters like JMM up from 130-135 to fight him at 147. See how he never fought Margarito or Cotto or Mosley, opting instead for a lighter Hatton and an older Oscar. See how he talks trash like it's his job. This is why even though Mayweather is just as talented, 95% of this board will be rooting for Manny (even if they pick PBF).
Budo, Floyd. All the money in the world can't buy you the adoration that Manny gets. Only budo can.
My personal experience with Manny was this.
He was hosting a Celebrity Darts tournament in L.A. a buddy of mine is friends with one of Manny's entourage and was invited, I rolled along. So we're at the tourney and Manny is pretty much getting mobbed, I'm talkin close to 200plus people trying to get his autograph & a picture all at the same time.
Manny's people weren't doing much to stop anyone because Manny was graciously accomidating everyone in a quiet methodical manner amidst the swarm. I was a bit suprised at this and a little taken aback from all the commotion. I've been around famous people before but never been the type to ask for an autograph or picture, although I admit I was tempted to do so but didn't feel like fighting through a mob for it.
So I just kinda sat back against the wall, in a sort of hater mode chastising all these people in my head to just leave him alone. After about hour or so of this Manny starts making his way to the exit, he pretty much signed everybodys autograph and took hundreds of pictures with people. I'm in a really bad mood for whatever stupid reason, as he is passing by the crowd parts a bit just enough for Manny to turn around to where I was put out his hand, raise his eyebrows in a very very Pilipino way and shake my hand like he knew me.
Fuck man, I fuckin turned into a like a little school girl all fuckin giddy and shit.
"Man" I thought "That was really fuckin cool."
I was talking to the 24/7 dudes that were filming him and asked if it was always like this, and they said "Always, he always gets mobbed and he always makes time for the people."
I really got a sense from that 3 second experience that this is a guy that is truly a special person, even beyond boxing.
DannyOcean -JRS3 - Dude, don't say that out loud. Filipinos will think you mean buto (penis).
I'm marrying a filipina halfie in a month. And she loves the budo, if you know what I mean.
Congrats :)
Pacman knows whats up
he knows that all this is a gift that he doesn't deserve and that without the people around him, his fans, his friends, his family, there would be no Pacman.
that's the one thing that stands out to me about Manny, he doesn't have that diva "I was born to do this shit" attitude, he's the exact opposite of that, he fully recognizes that he's just a talented guy that got lucky. and he knows that he must take this gift to the limit, or risk just losing it and fading away.
I'm happy to have lived in the era of Pacman, and I'm proud to say that I was an early fan of Manny, way back when I say him on a local boxing show (Blow by Blow). My friends and I were shocked at this skinny kid that threw the hardest punches we've ever seen, we laughed at his last name and how it was a latinized version of the tagalog Pakyaw (meaning: in bulk, or wholesale), we laughed at Michael Buffer who, just a few years ago, would really struggle with Manny's last name. Now it's a name people around the world recognize.
it's amazing
Good thread.
I became a DLH fan almost 20 years ago, and never thought I would like another boxer as much. Glad to find out I was wrong once again.
Great stories, but I liked PTM2020's the best. Too cool man.