After spending some time being coached in debates, getting involved in the government’s latest high school drama, and making some bold statements, Pacquiao is once again going back inside the ring.
Pacquiao is scheduled to fight for the welterweight boxing championship on July 2. The fight against the unbeaten Australian boxer, Jeff Horn will be held in Brisbane. Horn’s coach is boasting some impressive ‘pressure technique’ that they will use to shock the People’s Champion. Meanwhile, Pacquiao has been balancing training for the upcoming fight and being a politician.
After everything’s been said and done, are you still a fan of Pacman?
If it’s taking you some time to answer that question, we understand your plight. Here are some reminders that might help you reconcile still supporting the Philippines’ best boxer while not necessarily being the biggest fan of the senator.
He’s still a good representative of the Philippines, as an athlete.
Politics-wise, it’s true that Manny Pacquiao may not be the best person to represent the beliefs and ideals of the entire country. However, as an athlete, he is still one of the best that the Philippines has ever produced. As an athlete, Pacquiao is still the People’s champion, and he is still doing one hell of a job doing the Filipino name proud in terms of showing the world how much we can excel given the proper training and support.
He’s actually exceptionally trained, as a boxer.
In layman’s terms, he actually knows what he’s doing. When it comes to boxing.
On the senate floor, Pacquiao may be a newbie requiring coaching where coaching shouldn’t be. As an elected senator or politician in general, he may be a questionnable candidate with no prior experience or credentials to qualify him as a leader in our government. But on the boxing ring, he is a seasoned expert with a lifetime’s worth of experience and skill gained from extensive hours of training. At least on that front, we can justifiably place our bet on him.
Sometimes, we have to take what we can get.
At this point, I know that some of you might make the argument pertaining morality. How can we support this man as a boxer, when we know that boxing gives him the power to endorse his backwards beliefs?
To that, this is the only thing that I can say. Sometimes we have to take what we can get. If it’s any consolation, at least most of his faults are because of ignorance rather than malicious intent.
You’ve made your stand about him as a senator when you didn’t vote for him. You made that decision through fact and reason. Now make your stand with him as a boxer, through fact and reason.
Photos courtesy of Inquirer Sports
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Writer: ANTHEA REYES