Pacquiao greatest of them all

Our esteemed friend and boxing man Rudy Salud, founding secretary general of the World Boxing Council has always been an unabashed admirer and supporter of pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao.

If we recall correctly, it was Rudy who was among the very first to argue that Pacquiao is the greatest fighter of all time. Salud cited his achievements and made a case with the thought-provoking reasoning we associate with renowned lawyers.
Today, Salud’s initial accolades for Pacquiao have been picked up by many Filipino journalists and TV personalities, as well as the more refined and fair-minded Americans.
However, there are, regrettably, still a few who cannot seem to accept the fact that a kid from among the poorest of the poor from the Philippines could rise to such incredible heights, not just as a fighter but as an example of a gentleman-boxer.
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To us who had the privilege of staying with the great heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali for a couple of months, we can now fathom the difference between Pacquiao and Ali.
(We were with Ali in Kuala Lumpur when he fought Joe Bugner, in Honolulu while en route to the Philippines for the famous “Thrilla in Manila,” and in Manila in that long and memorable period that ended with the classic battle at the Araneta Coliseum.)
Ali, for all his greatness and his charismatic personality and glibness, had one trait that reflected poorly on him, especially in comparison to Pacquiao.
That was his habit of insulting and mocking his opponents. He referred to Joe Frazier, a great champion himself, as a “Gorilla” and disparagingly called Floyd Patterson, another heavyweight champion, as “Uncle Tom.”
Ali predicted when he would take an opponent out, and the picture showing him standing over a fallen foe with hands raised up high like a conquering gladiator provided a vivid insight into the man.
Pacquiao, in stark contrast, never dared predict the outcome of a fight, no matter what the provocation. All he usually said was that he wanted to entertain the fans and give them a good fight.
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Despite the fact that Oscar De La Hoya said his fight against Pacquiao was “personal” and that he would knock him out, when Manny pulverized the “Golden Boy” and rearranged his handsome face, he embraced him in the center of the ring and said for all the world to hear, “You are still my idol.”
When a bloodied David Diaz crashed to the canvas in a heap, Manny sought to give him a helping hand.
When he separated Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton from his senses, he showed concern and sought to lift him up. And when Hatton was embroiled in a drug scandal, he advised him to pick up the pieces of his life and look up to God for solace and assistance.
When he battered Antonio Margarito, Manny felt compassion for the Mexican. Margarito and his trainer Robert Garcia had promised to knock Pacquiao out and in the process ridicule trainer Freddie Roach because of his Parkinson’s disease.
He requested referee Laurence Cole to stop the massacre and even asked Margarito whether he was alright before laying off him in the last two rounds.
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Greatness must be judged not merely by overpowering performances in the ring but in the humility and decency with which a fighter conducts himself outside of it.
Pacquiao is the supreme example of what a fighter and a gentleman should be.
If this man is not the greatest, then those who haven’t the courage and the honesty to accept this little Asian as such, do Manny, the sport and our country a terrible disservice.