A deadly and devastating right hook to Hatton’s jaw early in the fight and it was all over. It was the third knock-out in only the second round. Once again, the Pac-Man, Manny Pacquiao, proved his mettle to the world.
In just two rounds, this humble hometown hero from the Philippines again showed everybody just how tough and determined he was.
The Pac-Man bagged his 6th Division Championship title in the World Boxing arena. Yet as his opponent lay on the floor in defeat, bloodied, battered and bruised, Pacquiao felt an overwhelming sense of pity and compassion; he also felt humility and respect for his opponent.
Here is a hero truly destined for glory. He is an inspiration, not only to his countrymen, but to all of us seeking to overcome the obstacles and challenges on this road of life.
I, of course, felt elated when I heard of Pacquiao’s win. Along with his legions of fans around the world, I too was cheering his victory. It seemed symbolic of a victory for the underdog. It made me think of my own life and the roads I have traveled.
Like Pacquiao, I too, came from a rural province in the southern islands of the Philippines, speaking a different dialect from the more sophisticated and urbanized dwellers of the capital city.
To this day, despite his tremendous accomplishments, people from a certain segment of mainstream Philippine society (from the northern capital) still make fun of Manny Pacquiao’s accent and his ‘country bumpkin’ ways. The sad truth is that there are still jokes among his own countrymen about the way he speaks English.
That’s why I feel extra proud for the Pac-Man because no matter what, he had the inner strength to overcome these prejudices. It was also a hard road for me adjusting to modern city life from the province. But I persevered and prevailed. I fought for the things I considered important.
I wanted a better life. I wanted to improve my knowledge. I wanted to travel, see the world, experience many different things and see what life had to offer. I wanted to break away from the small sheltered existence of my hometown. I wondered if and how I would ever be able to do it.
But no one is a hero all by himself. There is a force, a guiding hand behind him- a mentor, a teacher, a beacon, an inspiration – who pushes him to excellence, to greater heights, to push the limits of his endurance and strength, to surpass his previous accomplishments.
The hero does not do it all himself because there is a ‘hidden’ hero helping him. In Pac-Man’s case, the guiding hand is Freddie Roach, his trainer. Roach was ex-boxer who had a fairly decent record but whose career in the ring waned after a few good years. He became a trainer and took on various fighters to guide. One of his protégés was Manny Pacquiao and the rest is history.
My own Freddie Roach is my husband. We met when I had just graduated from College. I was eager to see and learn about the world but I had no idea how I was going to do it. My husband showed me many aspects of life I was previously unaware of. He took me to other continents and foreign lands where I had to learn other languages.
He introduced me to other types of music and cuisine from all over the world. My whole outlook and perspective opened up and I began to appreciate Art, Culture, Nature, people in wholly new ways. We traveled to many places before deciding to settle here.
And, today, perhaps a little like Manny Pacquiao, I owe a lot to my hero, my husband. And here I am ready to proudly say, “Hometown girl makes it!”
Judy Razon worked in the Philippines as a television and video events writer and director for several national television shows, including lifestyle, real estate, men’s lifestyle, cooking, sports and touring events.
Currently based in the U.S., she is also a published travel photographer for SE Asian English-language glossy magazine publications and has a passion for music, film and photography.
