Once upon a time Manny Pacquiao reveled in adulation akin to
the great Joe Louis. Easily the most exciting and beloved boxer of his era,
i.e. no one paid to see him lose. For on those mighty diminutive shoulders he
bore a people, an entire nation whose storied poverty and disenfranchisement
found hope in the tale of the Filipino orange peddler turned international
icon. That was then, this is now. Still collecting himself after that near
murderous Marquez right hand, he’s relegated to grappling desperately for that
glory he once knew. Gone are the days when he could simply defer to his famous
promoter as to what the future might hold during those post fight interviews, the
little giant from General Santos has fallen. At present, Manny Pacquiao is
desperate; desperate for a victory that will reignite the public’s once
ravenous excitement for the Filipino strong man, desperate for a significant
payday as rumors of his eroding fortune mount, desperate as Father Time mercilessly
closes in on an otherwise epic career. As such the calls for none other than
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. have become uncharacteristically, well, desperate.
It’s rather prophetic if you’re Floyd Mayweather, Jr. as he
is fond of reminding all within earshot, that “all roads lead to Mayweather.” Suddenly,
those questions that once dogged him at every conceivable turn, “Are you going to fight Manny…What’s it
going to take to get you and Pacquiao in the ring…?” have all but faded
away. Thus, the finality of the most jarring moment in all of sports, the knock
out, not only does it alter ones physical state, but, in an instant may alter
the very trajectory of ones very existence. Once positioned to legitimately
argue for handsome terms, Manny Pacquiao now finds himself much like all
others, languishing at the foot of the throne with his band of loyalists and of
course his famous promoter attempting to make a case for an encounter whose time
has long past.
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