Repudiated Pugilism to Become a Born-again Christian.
I t is disconcerting to stand a pes away from Manny Pacquiao'due south soft brown eyes – which are no more than a couple of anxiety from his hard brown fists – and hear him say, without whatever apparent duplicity, that God has spoken to him personally, how he has seen "the end of time". It would be unsettling coming from anyone. From Manny, who has boxed for a living for nigh two decades, it is tempting to wonder if he has taken ane punch also many. He is, after all, not a dreamer, does not merits to be a charismatic or a prophet, and it would be a major daze had he ingested whatever hallucinogenic substance. He lives a particularly corporeal existence.
Nor does he claim, every bit some fighters take, that God is on his side. God is just, well, not equally far away equally he once imagined, certainly not when he was cutting loose in any nightspot that would let him in, from Manila to Los Angeles. "I take a lot of dreams and visions," the globe welterweight champion says in a voice as unthreatening equally a mother'southward whisper. "I even heard the phonation of God. When I heard the vocalization of God, I am trembling and melting. I experience I have died. It was an amazing, astonishing feel.
"I'm happy because I plant the correct fashion, salvation, born again. Nosotros are required to be born again, all of u.s.. Christ said unless we are born again nosotros cannot enter the kingdom of God. So it's very important to me. Jesus Christ said: 'I am the style and the truth and the life. No i comes to the Begetter except through me.' In that location is no other manner. The only way is through Jesus."
Pacquiao in one case was not so righteous. He once was an all-nighttime hound dog, taking his pleasure where he pleased, ignoring all advice to respect the sanctity of his wedlock vows and determined to clasp as much fun from life equally was available to someone who was born into grinding poverty. Those were his hardcore inclinations until only a few years ago.
Here is a snapshot of that life, from the opening of Gary Andrew Poole's first-class biography on him. "Every bit Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao saunters out of the locker room at the Wild Bill of fare Boxing Club in Hollywood, California, he holds out his hand, and a member of his entourage slaps a comb in it. Looking in i of the gym'southward many grimy mirrors, Pacquiao combs his jet-black pilus, brushes off his goatee and nods his head in cocky-blessing. Someone slips on his scout – a gold Rolex Yacht Chief – and then gives him his diamond stud earring, which he puts in his left ear." Dressed to kill the ladies – long before he had that conversation with God.
The hair is still black. The goatee and the diamond stud are in identify, also. The eyes are merely as knowing, merely he is greatly a different homo, more content, less restless. He is a congressman at present, too, serving his people while dealing out pain in his other job. "People are surprised by the way I accept changed my life," he says. "All the running around. In that time and age, I knew I could do whatsoever I wanted. Only I changed when I heard the voice of God, and I tin can testify that there is a God. I saw two angels, white, long, big wings. I saw Paradise. God showed me virtually the end of time. This all happened within the last three years. That's how I changed my life."
I exercise not have the feeling I am in the presence of a man who could put me in hospital with a practised motion-picture show of his fist, who did exactly that inside 2 rounds in 2009 to Ricky Hatton, some other fighter who did not stint on life's pleasures, and is again struggling with those temptations. Pacquiao's trainer of 13 years, Freddie Roach, is standing a few feet away. He has heard Manny's story of redemption many times. "It'due south more vital to him at present than ever earlier," Roach says. "He was built-in a Cosmic, at present he'southward a born-over again Christian. His mother [Dionesia] hates it. She's always trying to forcefulness the Rosary on him. The merely worry virtually it is that maybe it could injure his political career, because 90% of the Philippines is Catholic and he'due south a built-in-again Christian."
Roach continues: "There is this other side to him, though. He's very different to a lot of boxers. He always is keeping busy, like playing basketball in the hamlet and so along, but he discusses the Bible when we're flying somewhere, request what does this really hateful, what does that really mean. I heed. Sometimes it's quite funny. Sometimes it makes sense. But sometimes it can be a long trip. There's skilful and bad. Organized religion means a lot to him, but he has done stuff that's non so religious, so …
"Some fighters turn to religion, because information technology'south a tough business. I'm not a religious person so it'south not a cistron for me. I grew up a Cosmic until the 2d grade. I got to my offset Holy Communion, but I didn't make it to Confirmation. They'd lost me by and so. But it's a tough life, boxing. Fighters are frequently looking for something they can hold on to. Maybe that'south why he'south done it – and more now than ever he needs it.
"He and his married woman [Jinkee] are happier than ever. He doesn't party whatever more, doesn't drink anymore. He's a make clean liver, doesn't fuck effectually with girls no more. And his married woman is very happy virtually that. He'due south a meliorate family human being. So there'southward a lot of adept that goes with information technology. He was a pretty wild guy, had the world by the balls. Everything was bachelor."
Right now, at that place is serious business to take care of. In the CotaiArena in the Venetian casino in Macao on 22 Nov, Pacquiao gives Chris Algieri, an unbeaten light-welterweight from Huntington, Long Island, a shot at his 10st 7lb title. Algieri, a smart boxer and even smarter individual – he has a BSc in health care management and a Masters in dispensary diet – has come from nowhere at 30, with not much of a punch only numberless of confidence and energy. He will give information technology his best shot. Pacquiao flew 27,000 miles with Algieri promoting the fight, from Beijing to Shanghai to Hong Kong to San Francisco to Las Vegas to New York. They get along.
"All my opponents they are friends exterior the ring but, inside the band, we take a job to practise," Pacquiao says. "I just learned about Algieri when the news bankrupt that he wanted to fight me. I watched his fight with Ruslan Provodnikov [a carve up decision subsequently 12 tough rounds in Brooklyn last June to win the WBO's 10st championship]. He showed he deserved this fight."
On the road, they have had time to kill and have jousted over the pool table. "I lost to him at pool," Pacquiao says, "but in the real game I am better than him. Beingness a Christian, I am giving him an reward but, in a real fight, it's going to be much unlike. Ha, ha!"
Few people in boxing laugh as much equally Pacquiao. Some fighters dread their public performances. Others, such as David Haye and Floyd Mayweather and Gennady Golovkin, cannot wait to get in the ring. Pacquiao is ane of that breed. "You tin meet in my face, boxing is my passion. Every time I walk to the ring, I am grinning considering I am excited to fight."
Since Juan Manuel Márquez shocked him and the rest of boxing virtually 2 years ago with the virtually stunning ane-dial knockout boxing had witnessed in years, Pacquiao has looked good – non quite back to his wrecking-ball best simply fashion too proficient for Brandon Rios and vindicated in a rematch with Timothy Bradley. Algieri, in his disciplined, energetic style, produced a stupor of his own by out-hustling Provodkinov, the Russian slugger who gave Bradley nightmares and bruises in ane of the all-time fights of 2013.
"Information technology's not the offset time I fight a guy like him – all action, from all angles," Pacquiao says of Algieri. "Information technology's been a while since I fought a guy as tall equally him [5ft 10in]. This is fun. My advantage is my experience. I have to use that. I believe he is the sort of opponent who volition make a good fight."
Algieri pays Pacquiao due respect, as would any grateful challenger pitched into the biggest payday of his career. "Manny, Floyd [Mayweather], the upper echelon, the aristocracy of the sport is right there," the well-spoken New Yorker says. "To get to them? Beginning you gotta win a fight you're not supposed to, and you've gotta fight someone who nobody wants to fight, a really strong grapheme, and you've got to perform. That's what I love about battle. When you keep that phase, when you show upward and you exercise what yous're supposed to do, yous perchance do more than what's expected and you become rewarded. I'grand feeling great about this fight. When it came up, I thought it was a slap-up opportunity, of course I did. I wanted to be champion; I did that, simply I still want more – and there's not much more than Manny Pacquiao."
So, did he think this was a adept time to take him? "You lot know what? I approximate we'll discover out on 22 November. I'k simply preparing for the Manny Pacquiao I've been watching for years. I'chiliad not preparing for half of that. I'yard ready for the full guy. I'm here – another new face up at the table. That's what the sport needs. Nosotros demand more than guys getting shots and taking them. A lot of the guys don't take the shots that they're offered. They're sitting on their record, sitting on their titles. I honey this fight because you lot've got two fighters, myself and Manny, taking risks. Anyhow you look at it, both corners of the ring, this is a big gamble. I respect Manny for that."
The respect, no uncertainty, will be there at the end, mutually. These are gentleman fighters. They are non loudmouths or showmen. They represent the dignity in boxing, and that is a rare article these days. You might say information technology is a practiced fight for a man of God to exist involved in.
Floyd Mayweather 5 Manny Pacquiao would be boxing's biggest payday – but despite plenty of talk since 2009 the fighters have notwithstanding to walk the (ring)walk. Information technology'due south been some other year of to and fro:
■ 20 January Fighthype.com publishes an interview with Mayweather in which he calls Pacquiao a "drastic dog", that he is in demand of a big payday to start alleged tax issues. Pacquiao hits back, challenging Mayweather to a fight for charity and taunts the American: "Floyd, if you lot're a real human being, fight me. Allow'southward exercise it for the love of boxing and for the fans."
■ 12 April Pacquiao beats Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas. Mayweather to follow? "The line is open 24 hours, seven days a week," says Pacquiao. "If he wants to fight, the fight volition be on."
■ thirteen September Mayweather defeats Marcos Maidana and says in the Las Vegas ring subsequently: "I'm going to talk to my squad and if the Pacquiao fight presents itself, allow's brand information technology happen." Just a couple of hours after he tells reporters: "I don't really think virtually Pacquiao. I don't really know him. I wish him all the all-time but I couldn't care less almost Manny Pacquiao. I am only focused on Floyd Mayweather. If it happens, it happens." Leonard Ellerbe, primary executive at Mayweather Promotions, says: "Floyd is ready to fight anybody. Of course there is hope [of a Pacquiao fight next May]. Information technology's all virtually giving the fans what they desire to see. Hopefully nosotros tin can get it together and brand information technology happen."
■ 26 September Mayweather tweets a montage of images showing Pacquiao on the canvas, accompanied by: "Miss Pac Man is bankrupt and desperate for a pay 24-hour interval. Your pay-per-view numbers are a joke." Pacquiao says: "I'm not affected by it. I pity him and I pray that some mean solar day he would change his ways. He should fear God." Then he quotes a passage from Matthew 16:26: "For what is a human profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"
Afterwards five years of phoney war and trash talk, the fight seems no closer.
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Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/oct/04/manny-pacquiao-chris-algieri-floyd-mayweather
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