Manny Pacquiao walks to the ring to take on Juan Manuel Marquez during their welterweight bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 8, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP
SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao lost in the fight because he ditched his Holy Rosary and his religion, according to an avid fan.
“Yong usual nyang ginagawa before magstart ang laban palaging syng nag-sign of the Cross marahil bilang gabay subalit, simula ng magpalit si Pacquiao ng religion tila nabago ang kapalaran nya sa paglaban (He used to make the sign of the cross before the start of every fight as his guide but Pacquiao’s fortunes in his fights had changed since he switched religions),” said Manuel Crisostomo, a publisher of a community newspaper in San Pablo City. (Pacquiao, baptized a Catholic, has been drawn to Christian groups lately, which focus on the study of the Bible and have little teaching on Mary, the mother of Jesus).
Rodelyn Yu, also an avid fan of Manny, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that God must be giving Pacman a trial for abandoning his former religion. He was unlike Marquez who was consistently dedicated to his Holy Rosary and Catholicism.
Crisostomo said Pacquiao should resign from boxing now and concentrate on his political and showbiz careers.
“It had been better that he heeded earlier suggestions from many Filipino fans that he quit from boxing when he got the legendary record of being the first and only eight-division Champion in the world,” the media man said.
“Manny is already an accomplished man in boxing arena several years ago. And as any sports or undertaking, time really comes when you really have to end,” Crisostomo said.