Pacquiao — despite his foolish antics
Posted on October 7, 2007 - Filed Under General |
SO, let’s be sporty in this corner, for once.
Today, Pacquiao fights Barrera. And never mind their first names; in this boxing-crazed world, ringfighters’ family names are all there is to be memorized, immortalized. The two boxers slug it out as we sit down to write this and, barring a cheating peek at the internet flash reports (what you see on your RP tevee of course is not actually “live” but “slightly delayed” telecast, as the promoter would call it – sorry for the clueless bettor who bets at the last minute here thinking the boxers are still slugging it out on real time when they’ve long gone down the ring) we’d not know who won.But that element of surprise notwithstanding, we venture to say the odds are still against the older Barrera, the Mexican. Despite his avenging angel stance stemming from the defeat he absorbed in the hands of the Pinoy boxer in their first meetings, it is doubtful if he can summon that proverbial, second wind, even a third wind, if need be, that would keep him standing there amid all the fast and heavy blows Pacquiao is expected to unleash.
Barrera can only save the day for his rooting fans if he manages to keep up with a fourth wind, one wind superior to his raging enemy. But his age may have caught up with him, despite all his touted preparations this time (compared to his previous major outing with Pacquiao) That hoped for refreshed invincibility on top of that ring when he meets the younger, more agile Filipino boxer who himself is known to summon enough second wind when he needs it, may never come for Barrera..
As with Erik Morales who had trouble making the grade at the official weigh-in the last time he fought Pacquiao and was forced to a rapid weight loss before climbing the ring, (whereupon the Gen San Fist proceeded to demolish him pronto), Pacquiao however might just lose some of the sting the Mexicans are deathly afraid of in the Filipino pugilist after shedding excess poundage –too fast.
And so, our fearless forecast; another Pacquiao win. Maybe not as stunning or scintillating as his fights with Morales or Barrera earlier but a win nevertheless. Frankly, seeing how our national boxer has comported and conducted himself of late, even trying his hand and fortune at politics, we are not as ecstatic about seeing Pacquiao add more chutzpah and braggadocio to his victory-swollen head now by pummeling Barrera to ignominy.
But, he’s still donning our national colors, for Pedro’s sake, and so cheer him up with our kababayans, we will.
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