Like politicians, preachers, Jeepney drivers and ribbon clerks, pugilists often say one thing while thinking another.
But a loud alarm goes off for me whenever a fighter, particularly a great one of the magnitude and importance of Megamanny Pacquiao, starts chattering away about hanging up his gloves.
Here’s some publicly spoken Manny comments which worry me, the first from Coach Freddie Roach, the latter two uttered by the Pinoy Idol himself.
Check out this Sept. 25 report from Baguio City:
"There are too many distractions. Everybody wants a piece of Manny Pacquiao," said American trainer Freddie Roach who has banned all talk of politics while the Filipino ring icon trains at the Shape Up Boxing gym here.
But during the courtesy call on Baguio Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. at City Hall on Thursday, Pacquiao was mobbed by reporters and employees and the question about his political plans cropped up.
“I have decided to run in the next elections and I’m willing to leave boxing,” said Pacquiao in Filipino.
But he quickly added that foremost on his mind is his coming showdown with World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Cotto.
“I have nothing else to prove,” he said.
I’m worrying with good cause, I fear.
And no, it’s not solely because my page views figure to drop like a freefalling elevator if Pacman does pack it in.
Doesn’t Manny have something to prove against a formidable fellow champion who has only lost one bout? Doesn’t Manny have something to prove against the Mighty Mayweather?
Does Manny already have foot outside the gymnasium door?
(Breaking news, GMA is reporting that Pacman impressed in sparring Saturday, cleaning the clock of sparmate Shawn Porter.
I’ve observed, in 45 or so years in boxing starting with a guy you may have heard of named Cassius Clay, that fighters comtemplating retirement almost always perform better in their final bouts when they keep their desire to quit inside their own head.
But, when they voice the notion of quitting over and over again, the red lights start flashing.
Let me make this analogy.
You put in 30 years down at the local widget factory. You work on the widget assembly line, repeating the same, tedious work over and over, day in and day out.
Yet you’ve consistently been the most conscientious employee in the building, a hard work who never shirks his complete duty.
Now it’s your final work week. It’s Wednesday and on Friday they’re saluting you with a cake and ice cream and handing you a golden widget to take out the door with you.
Do you think any rational human being in this situation is going to bust his or her hump those final two days of work?
Of course not. When you’re ready to stop punching the daily time clock, you slow it down.
I’ve seen fighters do that in training and on fight night. I call it the “it’s my last day” mentality.
You may not run the extra mile, do 20 more sit ups or want to bleed in the gym or during a round like you used to.
That’s human nature just like how we all goofed off when we had a substitute teacher.
So when Pacquiao verbalizes that he’s ready to abandon politics for boxing, I take it as a sign he may immediately take his foot off the gas pedal.
It might be another plus for Miguel Cotto come Nov. 14. The Puerto Rican is not talking retirement. He’s sticking around win, lose or draw against Pacman.
Cotto’s not carrying any mental baggage as to quitting the ring.
Am I the only one who is noticing the smoke signals coming out of Bagiuo are, in the main, negative ones?
Is PWA, the Pacquiao Worldwide Army, asleep at the switch at a crucial time?
Let’s hope, in case Cotto does pull off the huge upset, we won’t hear a “Manny should’ve trained in Mexico” chorus from the peanut gallery.
Coach Roach told Manny that but Manny didn’t listen.
Storm clouds over Baguio.
It’s not just the mountain mist.
Manny Pacquiao needs to keep his eyes on those widgets.
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