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Courtesy of Richard W. Rodriguez, Star-Telegram |
Manny Pacquiao, the little boxer turned politician, turned national treasure, turned pop-culture icon, turned author (new book) will return to the ring tonight at Cowboys Stadium.
But will it be the best Manny Pacquiao that faces Antonio Margarito for the vacant WBC world super welterweight title?
Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach and strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza have at times during training camp lamented the fact that the Filipino congressman has stretched himself too thin between boxing and a political career.
In fact, Ariza compared it to the movie Rocky III, where the "Italian Stallion" Rocky Balboa becomes a soft media star and is destroyed by the villainous Mr. T.
The comparisons are spot on, and it's probably a good thing that The Muppet Show isn't still on the air or Pacquiao, like Rocky, might have appeared with Kermit the Frog.
Wait, he did cut out from training camp to sing Imagine alongside Will Ferrell on Jimmy Kimmel Live. He bolted training camp on Election Day weekend to stump for U.S. Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada.
"I don't want to get a big head. I am so proud and thank God for everything he gave me," Pacquiao said. "I am really happy for what I've done in boxing, and I don't want to get too overwhelmed right now because you have to balance responsibility."
The fact that he has to balance responsibility between a political career and the ring is the concern among boxing observers.
Eventually, politics will become the focus for Pacquiao, 31, who said his political aspirations don't stop as a one-time congressman.
"That's why I enter, because I want to help people," he said. "In government, there is money for people, and we need a leader with a heart to help them. I feel what they're feeling because I've been there.
"Before I stepped in the ring, I slept in the streets; I ate once a day, that was my life before. It's so hard, so I feel what they're feeling.... I always understand the needs of those people who need help."
It's that heart for helping people that could be a concern.
Pacquiao's 200-member entourage has over-run the Gaylord Texan Resort this week, after flying in on a chartered jumbo jet.
Despite his millions earned from prize fighting, entertainment history is littered with bankrupt celebrities who couldn't say no to hangers-on.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said he's not concerned about Pacquiao's generous spending. He's seen it before with Muhammad Ali.
Arum said if Ali walked down the block with $10,000 he'd give it away before he reached the next streetlight. Arum said Ali was taken care of by "God" in the form of a licensing agreement that gave him $60 million up front and then 20 percent of any revenue generated from his image.
"So God does provide. That's what this kid believes, that he is chosen by God to be where he is, and that even if he has no money God will take care of him and provide," Arum said. "That's why when he walks into a fight and he's smiling and so forth; because in his mind, whether he wins or loses is all predetermined by God. So why should he worry?"
Arum said he expects Pacquiao to earn the presidency of the Philippines one day and added, "I just hope I can live that long."
As for tonight, both Pacquiao and Roach said "PacMan" made up the time lost for public appearances and political demands.
In fact, Roach predicted a knockout and said his fighter is fully prepared.
"It was just a mental issue. It was just focus, it was never a physical issue," Roach said. "Mentally it took him awhile to get him there because when he was in the Philippines; Congress was on his mind.
"But we had three weeks in America, talked on the plane; he promised me he'd get back to get what he does best. Congress hasn't come up since we've been in America. We have no excuses."
By Tobias Xavier Lopez
tlopez@star-telegram.com
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