Chronicling the first years of Pacquiao's career: Why Cotto's size won't matter (part 1)

In his first year as a pro boxer, 16-year old Manny Pacquiao had to secretly carry steel weights in his pockets during weigh-ins just so he could make weight. Now if you ask why any boxer would want to do such a thing, you have to understand first hand the situation the man (correction) boy was coming from.

For starters, Pacquiao came from a third-world country where the poverty rate is almost 40%. He ran away from home as a young boy when he found out that his dad turned his dog and best friend into what the Spanish call "Tapas" or what Filipinos call as "Pulutan" and what Americans call as a "snack" or perhaps others "disgusting".

That's when he stumbled upon boxing and took his talent and potential alongside his malnourished body to the big city hundreds of miles away from home. He moved to Manila and almost instantly turned pro, fighting for peanuts in a weekly boxing show called "Blow by Blow". There was one problem though, he was too light. His first fight which was at 106 at age 16 may be shocking to a lot of people especially right now with the way he has breezed through the higher weight classes but truth be told he wasn't even heavy enough to compete. As Pacquiao himself revealed, he carried steel weights in his shorts during weigh-ins just so he could be allowed to get in the ring. Not only did Pacquiao wanted to fight, he needed to. A victory meant a few hundred pesos that would help his esurient stomach to a few days of decent meals.

In his first year as a pro, he fought 12 times in 12 months. He won the first 11 until he was hit by a vicious body shot by Rustico Torrecampo that dropped him like a fly in his 12th fight as a pro. Pacquiao was fighting bigger, stronger, grown men while being worked like a dog, fighting for tiny checks and lacking proper nutrition. After the break, Pacquiao took a couple of months off and did construction work on the side to help get by. He even said he contemplated walking away from the sport as it wasn't really as glamorous as it is here in the US compared back home in the Philippines. I should know, I was there.

I saw a couple of Pacquiao's early fights as a teen in '95. Most of the shows in his first year were held in my hometown Mandaluyong. I was 14 and together with a few friends, we would get by security or jump the walls to watch fights for free. The first time I caught Pacquiao fight was his fourth pro fight against Dele Decierto. Decierto was also undefeated at 2-0 and looked more mature and built than Pacquiao. Pacquiao was really skinny although you could see he was already ripped even at a young age. My buddies picked the bigger and meaner looking guy and I told them I got this skinny "rugby-sniffing" kid. (Sorry, that's what he looked like to me back then.)

Even back then when people hardly knew him, the joy in Pacquiao's face radiated as he walked to the ring anticipating war. I remember telling my friends, "look how happy this guy is like he is going to a party". Little did I know, what I was about to witness after the sound of the bell was his coming out party in my consciousness. Pacquiao blasted his opponents away looking almost comical as his gloves looked disproportionately big compared to his skinny body. His punches hit like bricks though- yes even way back. Go ahead and ask boxing scribe Ronnie Nathanielsz who I remember doing a lot of the TV commentary back then for Pacquiao's early fights. So if Floyd Mayweather Sr. thinks only steroids can give an athlete such power in his fists, then all I can say is that, only losers think that way, because only losers would resort to and even think about steroids. Pacquiao was a heavy-hitter even without proper nutrition and conditioning. Perhaps that is his true steroids. Food. Being able to be nourished properly has given him more strength, power and energy in the ring later on in his career.

Commentary: Wow! Look how skinny the Pacman. This guy has really come a very long way since then.


Source: Chronicling the first years of Pacquiao's career: Why Cotto's size won't matter (part 1)


To read more commentaries on hot news update about Manny Pacman Pacquiao, his archrivals Juan Manuel Marquez, Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, and the world of boxing, click To read more news update about the boxing world and Manny Pacquiao, his archrivals Juan Manuel Marquez, Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, and the world of boxing, click HERE.To read more news update about the boxing world and Manny Pacquiao, his archrivals Juan Manuel Marquez, Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, and the world of boxing, click here. For more update of the Pacquaio-Cotto fight click HERE.