Arlington (AP) – Pacquiao cemented his claim as boxing’s best last Sunday by giving Antonio Margarito a beating that resulted in a broken eye socket and a surgery. The only problem for Pacquiao on that day was him not being able to sign autographs because his hands were swollen and he couldn’t handle a pen properly.
It was a superb performance, although not terribly surprising since it was expected of Pacquiao already. His mother, famously known as Aling Dionisia, was so caught up in the excitement that she fainted for a while as the fight ended. Everyone else stayed upright, watching in delight as Pacquiao finished off a night’s work by kneeling down in a neutral corner and saying a prayer of thanks.
The lopsided win gave Pacquiao his eighth title in as many weight classes in a remarkable career that began with him fighting at 107 pounds as a teenager in the Philippines. He was in charge the entire way, battering Margarito so badly that Pacquiao was pleading with the referee to stop the fight in the 11th round so his opponent wouldn’t have to take any more punishment.
“I told the referee, ‘Look at his eyes, look at his cuts,'” Pacquiao said. “I did not want to damage him permanently. That’s not what boxing is about.”
Pacquiao was also asked about Mayweather and answered that he was tired of the politics of boxing and that if there was to be a fight, he’ll take it to Bob Arum. If Mayweather spent $65 to watch the pay-per-view he may be even more reluctant to fight Pacquiao than before. He also has legal problems stemming from an altercation with the mother of his children that could interfere with a possible fight in the spring, but Arum believes that if Mayweather really wants to fight then the bout could be made.
Back home, where even crime stops when Pacquiao fights, the end touched off celebrations across the country. President Benigno Aquino III, who is attending the APEC summit in Japan, rushed back to his hotel room to catch the bout and sent his congratulations.
Boxing has never seen anything like Pacquiao, whose string of recent performances has reinvigorated the sport. His latest win earned him at least $15 million.
Pacquiao flew to Lake Tahoe for a Tuesday concert before preparing to return to the Philippines. Once home, he’ll get back to more mundane concerns, like making sure schools in his congressional district are functioning and getting funding for a new hospital that is badly needed.
Mayweather may be in his future, but there may be a point where Pacquiao doesn’t need Mayweather anymore. He certainly didn’t need him Saturday night to draw a huge crowd to Cowboys Stadium, where he now has one more win this year than the Cowboys themselves.
