WALANG dudang mas bata ng 11 taon ang Amerikanong may-ari ng WBC at IBF welterweight belts na si Errol Spence Jr. kaysa kay eight-division champ Manny Pacquiao. Ito ang dahilan kaya marami ang nagsasabing mapapaganda pa ni Spence ang 27-0 rekord niya.

Ngunit hindi rin maikakaila na mas malawak ang karanasan sa ring ng fighting senator at ama ng limang anak niya kay dating Bise Gobernador Jinkee Pacquiao.

Ang wala pang talong Amerikano ay may 21 KOs sa 27 laban, habang si Manny ay may rekord na 71-ring fight sa mahigit 25 taon kung saan 62 ay panalo at 32 dito sa pamamagitan ng KOs, pitong talo at 2 tabla.

Ibig sabihin, si Pacquiao ay may higit 44-ring fight sa kanyang makakatunggali sa Agosto 21 sa T-Moblie Arena, Las Vegas. Lamang din siya ng 37 panalo at 18 KOs.

Isama pa rito ang mahigit dalawang dekadang agwat sa kanilang resume.

Ang dating pound-for-pound king ay nabigyan ng karangalang ‘Fighter of the Decade’ bukod sa tatlong beses na ‘Fighter of the Year’ ng Boxing Writers Association of America. Tinalo niya sa FOD sina Joe Calaghe, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez at Marco Antonio Barrera, na pawang mga future Hall of Famer.

Nakalaban na ni Manny ang maraming kasalukuyan at dating pandaigdig na kampeong sina Brandon Rios, Marquez, Timothy Bradley Jr., Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Joshua Clottey, Miguel Cotto, Oscar DeLa Hoya, David Diaz, Barrera, Jorge Solis, Erik Morales, Oscar Larios, Jorge Julio, Agapito Sanchez, Lehlo Ledwaba, Medgoen Lukcghaopormasak, Chatchai Sasakul, Mayweather, Jesse Vargas at Lucas Matthysse.

Isama pa ang walong dibisyong kampeonato – flyweight, super-bantamweight, featherweight, super-featherweight, lightweight, junior-welterweight, welterweight at super-welterweight –naisuot na rin ni Manny ang sinturon sa international super-featherweight, international super bantamweight, at Orient-Pacific Boxing Federation flyweight.

“If there were any doubt that Manny Pacquiao is the biggest star of his sport, it was put to rest by members of the WBAA by an overwhelming margin. His three Sugar Ray Robinson FOY awards bring him with Muhammad Ali and Evander Holyfield as the most in the history of the BWAA,” ayon sa pangulo nitong si Jack Hirsch.

Para kay Chris Lines ng Associated Press: “Pacquiao carries the burden of being the favorite son of the Philippines and the man the nation looks to as a source of joy and hope.”

Mula kay Dennis Taylor ng RING: “Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez were the highest paid athletes in the world (2010).”
Sumunod sa dalawa sina race driver Kimi Raikkonen at namayapang si NBA player Kobe Bryant.

Ang huling 13 nakasagupa ng Pambansang Kamao sa loob ng limang taon ay pawang mga world champion sa timbang na 128-150 libra at na-sweep niya, pito ay sa pamamagitan ng KO.

Sabi nga in Dan Rafael, senior writer ng ESPN: “The P4P King still delivered a totally dominant performance against anybody, winning virtually every second of every round.”