Pacquiao makes the traditional Filipino 'Mano Po' greeting to Beng Atienza

‘Mano Po’ among Filipinos  is considered as very respectful to one’s elders showing humility from the one giving it. In this case Evelyn Atienza is the mother like figure that has been there long before he has found international fame. Her husband Lito Atienza, then vice Mayor helped discover the young talent through sports programs during his term of office.

Written and photographed

by Jude Thaddeus L. Bautista

NOTE: I wrote this Jan. 19, 2010. Mayweather has since fought Shane Mosley last May in an unexciting 12 rd decision. The world is still awaiting the latest from the negotiating table between Mayweather and Pacquiao’s camp.

There is no denying that Floyd Mayweather Jr. has had a storied career, one of the very few to retire undefeated. He’s done it all, titles in several divisions and winning against big names such as Arturo Gatti, Julio Cesar Chavez and Jose Luis Castillo. His recent win against Juan Manuel Marquez set him on a collision course with current Pound for pound title holder, Manny Pacquiao. It’s a mega fight the whole world wanted to see ever since the People’s champ set spectacular victories against Diaz, Morales, Marquez, Dela Hoya, Hatton and Cotto most recently.

In fact almost the same time Manny took the WBC World Lightweight title against Diaz, Mayweather went into retirement thus relinquishing the Pound for pound title to Pacquiao. And since Mayweather decided to come out of retirement everyone had been asking for the fight to happen. After the Cotto fight, negotiations for the mega historic fight began. And there didn’t seem to be any reason for either party to not want it to happen. Figures of at least 50 million dollars or more for each fighter were already settled.

And then out of nowhere Floyd demands an Olympic style drug testing for his prospective opponent. It was something which he had never done before in any fight. The contract from his camp demanded a blood test, the night before the fight. It is something that no boxer would ever be comfortable with, considering the change in weights one has to make during that period. Deep into the negotiation, trainer Freddie Roach compromised with a blood test a week before the fight. Losing bodily fluids though sweat is one thing, but to extract blood?

The Nevada State Athletic Commission which has overseen nearly all of the fights of both fighters has their own drug testing process. No hint of a violation from Pacquiao has ever been detected. In the U.S. performance enhancing drugs has been found most recently in Major League Baseball. In each case all star players or hitters needed the cooperation of medical staff. Teams have their own doctors who may have had access to these drugs and the knowledge to administer them.

In the Philippines it is almost unheard of, there’s not enough motivation, monetary or otherwise to use them. Pacquiao does not have enough knowledge of these drugs let alone have access to them. The lack of knowledge of these drugs comes from his background as a person not out of ignorance. He and his camp are extremely careful of diet. And whatever medication he happens to take. Steroids and performance enhancing drugs have a paper trail that necessitates the administration of a doctor.

Mayweather even went to the media and accused Manny of taking performance enhancing drugs without any evidence or basis to his statements. To prove him wrong Manny subjected himself to a drug test immediately covered by television crews and conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation here in the Phil. All tests came out negative.

The collapse of the negotiations and Mayweather’s statements only proved his unwillingness to fight. After Pacquiao completely annihilated Ricky Hatton within 2 rounds, it put the fear of God in any prospective opponent.Mayweather took nine rounds to defeat the Hit man from Manchester England. Pacquiao also delivered a TKO win against Dela Hoya which ended by the 9^thround. Mayweather only squeaked in a decision against Dela Hoya which ended in the 12^th.

from left: Gov. Chavit Singson, Mayor Lito Atienza, Jingky Pacquiao, Cong. Manny Pacquiao and Evelyn Atienza

Based on how Manny has spectacularly defeated his opponents Mayweathermay have seen himself as an underdog against the current Pound for pound title holder. Floyd’s unblemished record must be in very shaky ground with the oncoming slaughter from Pacquiao. What he thought was his last legacy as a fighter was in great jeopardy. To boxing observers his accusations became a futile attempt to mask his cowardice or preserve his undefeated status.

Mayweather had 8 successful title defenses before he retired. His style is a combination of blinding speed exceptional defense by movement and footwork. There was an air of invincibility in the fights leading to his retirement. Absolutely no one would’ve predicted that someone would immediately follow to not only take his place as Pound for pound best fighter but to far and away exceed and overshadow his achievements.

In the NBA for example, no one could realistically expect someone to take the cudgels from Michael Jordan when he left the game. Kobe Bryant and Lebron James are compared to his “Airness”. But they have yet to prove that they truly are the ‘Air’ apparent to the Greatest Basketball Player who ever lived. No one could ever assume that anyone of them could be even better than him or what he achieved. In fact MJ’s shoes to this day are still the top selling brand or product of Nike. And it’s been years since he has retired.

And yet that is exactly what Manny Pacquiao did with Mayweather. The overwhelming victories that Manny has collected have overshadowed the achievements of Mayweather. How are they better? He has completely destroyed some of the very same opponents that Mayweather only barely won against e.g: Hatton and Dela Hoya. Mayweather could have sincerely believed that this could not be possible. Somehow there had to be a trick of some sort, NO ONE could be this much better than him and so soon after he retired.

His ego did not allow him to see that there was nothing in Manny’s background as a fighter or as a person that would lead him to use performance enhancing drugs. PEDs are crucial in baseball because you need that superhuman strength to literally hit the ball out of the park. In power lifting, shot put, throwing events, American football, body building these are all havens for steroids. Raw muscular strength is where steroids and PEDs are able to give that decisive advantage over the competitors.

Emanuel Steward is an International Boxing Hall of fame inductee who decoded how Pacquiao is able to win fights. Steward is best known as the trainer of Thomas Hearns and some of the best champions in recent memory: Evander Holyfield, Jermain Taylor, Julio Cesar Chavez and Lennox Lewis. As an HBO commentator he described Pacquiao’s  style: “He comes at you in ALL angles. He is able to time his shot when you least expect it. And it’s something that you cannot teach. He hurts you because you don’t see the punch coming.” Stewart repeatedly gave this analysis through three fights with Larry Merchant another storied Boxing pundit in exact agreement with him. So in Manny’s case it is NOT raw strength that gives him the victories although it is a factor, but rather a rare gift of God in the art and science of boxing.

And yet again, for boxing pundits no one would’ve ever predicted thatMayweather would actually run away from the opportunity to fight Pacquiao. Drugs or no drugs it would have been an even bigger incentive for him to prove that he is better. No one would’ve expected Floyd to stoop down in making completely baseless and irrational accusations of PED usage. No one has the physical tools and skills and the chance to win more than he does. He lost a huge amount of prestige and respect from the boxing community because of his statements. No fighter of his stature would have to resort to those tactics.

Contrast Mayweather’s cowardice with the great names of Mexican fighters from Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales, Antonio Barrera, Oscar Dela Hoya and throw in David Diaz and Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto. All of them knew that Manny was younger (most cases), stronger and faster. Literally odds makers were against them, there’s an actual numerical value to the odds stacked against them. And they relished it. They wanted to fight Manny Pacquiao more than anything and it’s not something that can be quantified in money but more of heart. They wanted the challenge of beating someone they knew who was better than them. That’s what makes boxing a beautifully brutal sport. They know there is no shame in defeat; it comes only when you shrink in the face of adversity.

Each of those fighters that he vanquished Manny embraced them after their battle, showing the love and respect of a brotherhood that can only be forged inside the ring. In Dela Hoya’s case he said, “You are still my idol.” To which Oscar responded “Now you are my idol.”