The victory of Manny Pacquaio against Chris Algeri in the Venecia in Macau, aside from the honor that it brings to the our country and people, is also, most of all, the triumph of the small guy against the powerful, the moneyed and the influential, the victory of one who started with nothing but passion and sheer determination. It is also the victory of the Asian against the Western men, the win of the third world against the first world. There is too much symbolism in that fight. It is really the triumph of the East against the West, especially that it was held in Macau. It was, in fact, Algeri's first fight outside of the US. And it was the New Yorker's first ever defeat in his twenty one fights.
By all appearances, Chris Algeri had many advantages over Manny Pacquiao. He had the commanding height of five feet ten inches towering over Manny's five feet and six inches and a half. Algeri is much younger, having been born on March 2, 1984 or at the prime age of thirty, while Manny is thirty-six or six years older, more experienced but with quite an aged body that has absorbed a lot of physical hits and pressures in his past sixty-three professional fights. Manny's records before yesterday's fight showed 63 fights, with 56 wins (or 88.88%), with five losses and two draws and 38 wins by knockouts (67.85 % KO's out of 56 wins). Algeri has had only 20 fights, all wins (100%) and eight by knockouts. (40%). Algeri was undefeated.
But Manny Pacquio was the run-away favorite of most boxing aficionados because of his experience, his speed, his strength, and his wonderful combinations. He has had a very good training practically the whole year and his excellent preparation. The former pound-by-pound king of the boxing world looked like the winner from the very beginning. He has a very good coach and trainer and he enjoyed the moral support of his entire family and many close friends. Manny's fans have been very passionate and enthusiastic making the Congressman from Saranggani the crowd's clear favorite. Manny's wife, mother, and many close relatives and supporters, including Governor Chavit Singson and Congressman Lito Atienza were all there in Macau.
The Congressmen crossed party lines and were seen together at the ringside, including representatives Toby Tiangco, Gustavo Tambunting, Cesar Sarmiento, Rogelio Roque, Roberto Puno, Romero Quimbo, Carol Jayne Lopez, Magtanggol Gunigundo, Joaquin Chipeco, Carlo Cua, Nicanor Briones, Jose christopher Belmonte, Leopoldo Bataoil, Pangalian Balindong, Amado Bagatsing, and Franz Alvarez. It looked like there was a House Committee hearing being held in Macao when Manny's colleagues in Congress gave him a very strong delegation as a manifestation of all-out support. There were a lot of local officials from Cebu. I saw the Vice Mayor of Ronda, a great triathlete, Atty Jan Blanco-Ungab.
The whole country which stood still, that fateful Sunday, and all Filipinos watching from all over the world, from Manila to Dubai, from Cebu to London, from Davao to Seattle, from Gensan to Ukraine, from Saranggani to West Africa can now breath a sigh of relief. The Filipinos here look forward to welcoming a returning hero once again. The former construction worker and bread vendor, who is now the richest Filipino congressman, has become a legend and the true icon of the small guys, in this dog-eat-dog world dominated by the rich, the powerful and the well-connected. Manny Pacquiao has proven once again, that, with passion and sheer determination, hard work, and prayers, the small guys can make it.