Once in a lifetime

The American newscaster only had superlatives for Filipino boxing phenomenon Manny Pacquiao. 
Showing clips of the Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito fight, staged at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday, the newscaster referred to Pacquiao as “the much smaller boxer in white shorts who weighs 17 pounds lighter and is five inches shorter than his Mexican opponent,” when he climbed the ring. 
Pacquiao was 148 lb while Margarito had ballooned from 150 during the weigh-in to 168, three-weight divisions heavier than the welterweight Pacquiao. 
* * * 
In various media, it is often said and written that Pacquiao is the greatest boxer of his era. 
The television newscaster said we will see only one boxer like him during our lifetime. 
“He is the greatest boxer in this lifetime,” he said. “Or maybe he is the greatest boxer!” 
But what price, glory? And if I may add, riches? 
* * * 
Two days after the fight, when the euphoria of victory had gone a fraction lower, the newspapers, the broadcast media and the Internet ran varied stories of the devastation wrought by the showdown between Pacquiao and Margarito. 
Margarito, who got a purse of $3 million, was rushed to the hospital moments after the fight. He required immediate medical attention for a badly battered right eye whose socket was fractured. 
Margarito also had a cut under the closed eye. At the hospital, the doctors said his eye injury would require surgery. 
It could have been worse had Pacquiao not held his punches in the last two rounds. 
Detachment of the eye retina often results in blindness. 
Aware of the looming dangers, Pacquiao implored the referee to stop the fight, but his plea was ignored. 
* * * 
But if Margarito was bloodied and bludgeoned, this isn’t to say that Pacquiao escaped unscathed. 
The Pacman absorbed his share of injuries. He admitted later during a press conference, that this was the hardest fight of his career. 
As his trainer Alex Ariza later disclosed, Manny did not train as he should. Which is why the knockout everyone waited for never came. 
Ariza said Manny never gets tired during a fight. But in this fight with Margarito, Manny’s tongue practically hung out. 
He hobbled toward the podium for the presscon and needed human crutches to prevent him from falling. His face was bruised all over, his fingers swelled to twice their size and his body was simply hurting all over. 
Manny’s personal physician announced that the eight-time champion would undergo an MRI and other tests when he gets back to Manila, just to make sure that he’s okay. I was reminded of Muhammad Ali, the greatest boxer of his era, who is now afflicted with Parkinson’s disease. 
Meantime, Manny and his entourage proceeded to Lake Tahoe on Monday for the concert he’s committed to stage. No matter what, the show must go on!