What’s in store
for Pacquiao?

Now that he has lost by a split decision to American Timothy Bradley, the most pertinent question is – what’s in store for the future of Pacquiao?

Of course, as pointed out by trainer Freddie Roach, there should be an investigation on who of the two judges scored for the unbeaten challenger when the statistics on punches showed the Pacman clearly dominating the 12-round bout.

But that investigation will get nowhere if one were to listen to what Bob Arum, Manny’s manager had said – that the Nevada council never reverses what the judges had decided on.

In short, what is the investigation about? Where is it headed?

The second question is just as vital – will there a return bout by November? This is important to once and for all settle the issue of who really won the fight between Manny and Bradley? That seems to be a given.

In short, we may see Pacquiao engage in his last fight before retirement. Whether he likes it or not, Manny is at the end of the rope insofar as his boxing career is concerned. After 34, one no longer retains his prowess and strength nor dexterity.

So that the last fight could very well have been the last fight of Manny before retirement. Those are the harsh realities of life. One can’t go on forever the way he had been going.

But for the entire country, it looks like the demise of the country itself. “Manny was robbed” remained the headline of most periodicals and the post-fight post-mortem remained the major topic of the day. Why the national shock even crowded out the one important story of President Aquino’s triumphant return from the United States and the United Kingdom.

Undoubtedly the economic pledges and the support for the defense of the Philippines are things that should be more important for the average Filipino. But they flew out of the window. Everybody was talking about Pacquiao and how he was cheated of victory by split decision that caught even Bradley by surprise.

It only proved the point – that the theory considered Pacquiao a national hero. Thus, his defeat was considered a disaster. And a stunning event that was deemed to have been caused by cheating by the board of judges.

The point is that it is not only the locals and Pacquiao’s fans abroad who were shocked by the outcome, even some major sportswriters deplored what they also considered was an unfair decision that robbed Manny of the fight that he deserved to win.

Of course, one must consider the fact that Manny was no longer as focused as he was in the past. Perhaps, it was the psychological impact on him by his own version of “Love one another as I have loved you.”

And the changes in his lifestyle from the former free-wheeling habits he had developed in the past when he was at the height of his glory.

A few did observe these deficiencies in his latest fight. I, for one, had earlier noted that psychological impact on him his last conversion as possibly having robbed him of his killer instinct.

Manny’s mother, Dionisia, may have to be listened to by Pacquiao. That she suffered a loss of consciousness when she learned about the outcome of his latest fight, Dionisia became irate and bellicose.

Manny, however, had 365 degree turnaround in his post he cautioned his mother to accept the decision of the judges and just to pray for them.

Well, I foresee that there will be a rematch in November. But after that, I guess Manny must have to announced his retirement from the ring should he recapture his supremacy.

****

Robbers normally refuse to kill. But this time, three of them reportedly killed two watchmen of Brgy. Santo Teresa Manapla when they divested the payroll payment of Hacienda Teresa Basa of some P125,000 in cash.

They first shot to death Eddie Basa, the husband of the paymaster Teresa. Eddie Basa, 52, was hit on the body and once on the head to make sure that he was really dead by one of the three men who had robbed Teresa of the cash money for the hacienda workers.

Eddie was dead on arrival at the Teresita Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City.

Another person, Julie Biating, tried to rescue the couple. But she was shot on the leg and died while undergoing treatment at the provincial hospital in Silay City.

Now, we hope that the Manapla police under Senior Insp. Edencio Gregorio will speed up the solution of the killing. These were the only incidents in the town, the police had arrested earlier the three suspected persons for almost the same crime.

It seems there are some armed people in the area who are ready to kill just for money. That is something which local authorities should never tolerate.

The sooner these are arrested and charged, the better for the peace and order of Manapla.*

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