Once again the streets were empty yesterday as Filipinos watched the rematch between hometown idol Manny Pacquiao and American Timothy Bradley. This time the Philippines’ boxing icon did not disappoint, wresting back the WBO welterweight title from his previously undefeated opponent in a decisive victory.
Clearly Pacquiao is not ready to hang up his gloves. In a post-fight press conference, he hinted that there are more bouts ahead for him; he likes his world title and intends to hold on to it for a while longer. He can rely on his compatriots to keep rooting for him.
As Pacquiao continues to fight for his title, however, sports authorities must start developing new boxing talents. Going by the country’s performance in international matches, boxing is one sport where Filipinos can excel. While Pacquiao is the most famous Filipino pugilist, other athletes such as Nonito Donaire have brought honors to the Philippines in professional boxing. In the Olympics, the best performances by the Philippine team have been given by boxers, although they have so far not gotten beyond silver medals.
In some countries, the talent search for potential world sports champions starts in grade school. The children are given the necessary state support to pursue their interest in athletics. This aid, sustained for many years, is indispensable especially for budding athletes with limited financial resources. In repressive regimes, the training can border on child abuse. Free societies strike a balance between supporting a young athlete in disciplined, rigorous training and ensuring that no one is forced to reap sports honors for the nation.
In the Philippines, the problem is not just the limited resources allocated for athletic development but also the sheer inefficiency of sports programs. Sports officials, it seems, are distracted by rivalries and other personal concerns to focus on their mandate, which is to develop world-class athletes. Even as Pacquiao continues to reap honors in the world of professional boxing, the performance of Philippine athletes even in regional games is becoming progressively worse.
Seeing how well Filipinos can perform in the ring, development of the next generation of world-class boxers should be ongoing at this point. Sports authorities should not wait for Pacquiao to retire. He doesn’t look ready for it, which is welcome news for jubilant Filipinos. But retirement is inevitable, and there should be new boxers ready to continue reaping honors for the nation.