Muhammad Ali's love for Manny Pacquiao

“If you lose a big fight, it will worry you all of your life. It will plague you-until you get your revenge.” Muhammad Ali

By Alex P. Vidal

IT’S not surprising why Muhammad Ali (56-5, 37 KOs) is enamored with Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs).

Ali, 73, personally likes Paquiao, 36, and his admiration has more to do with how the Filipino congressman conducts himself outside the ring rather than Pacquiao’s fighting styles.

Pacquiao, who considers Ali as his childhood idol and inspiration along with Sugar Ray Leonard, must have been ecstatic in his Wild Card gym training camp in Los Angeles when he heard the news.

Fans would have normally predicted that Ali will root for fellow American Floyd Mayweather Jr. who is also a flamboyant and scientific fighter like the former heavyweight champion.

Both Ali and Mayweather Jr. are known for their excellent footwork. 
Their dizzying lateral movements in the square-jungle have delighted millions of their fans worldwide.

RIVAL

Ali’s arch rival, the late Smokin’ Joe Frazier, could be compared to Pacquiao in terms of style, force and guts.

Like Pacquiao, Frazier loves to bob and weave and moves forward amid the avalanche of punches from their opponents.

Both Pacquiao and Frazier have solid jaws and good stamina, although they have been pulverized in their past battles.

Frazier was the first heavyweight dynamo to score a knockdown against Ali en route to inflicting Ali’s first defeat by a 15-round unanimous decision on March 3, 1971 at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

Ali and Frazier fought three times and their epic third meeting known as “Thrilla in Manila” on October 1, 1975 went down in history as the best-ever world heavyweight championship that has not been broken until today.

Like Ali, Pacquiao has been hailed as the “people’s champion” and they almost have similar involvement in their respective civic and charitable activities.

“My dad is Team Pacquiao all the way,” confirmed Rasheda Ali. “My dad really likes Manny. He’s a huge fan of his.”

CHARITABLE

Rasheda said her dad likes the fact that “Pacquiao is such a charitable person.”

Rasheda told New York Daily News that Ali’s admiration for Mayweather, in contrast, apparently starts and stops with “money’s” fighting skills.

“My dad stood for things. Mayweather…I don’t think there’s a comparison,” Rasheda said.

Because of his health condition, Ali may not be able to watch the fight on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The daughter said Ali must settle for cheering Pacquiao on from his home in Louisville, Kentucky.

“There’s no question he’s going to order it (pay-per-view),” she said.