The reception Manny Pacquiao received at the MGM Grand upon his arrival provides an idea of how he's revered by his fans. Photo / Chris Farina-Top Rank


Note: The image of Manny Pacquiao on the homepage was painted by artist Tyler Streeter, whose unique painting style is matched with his reverence for the sweet science. "I try and give the viewer a glimpse into the sacrifice endured by these great fighters in pursuit of glory as we can all relate to sacrifice and struggle on some level." View more of Streeter's work at www.tylerstreeter.com


LAS VEGAS -- The United States has its superstars, athletes who capture the imagination with their unusual achievements and bigger-than-life personas, athletes like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.

Not even Jordan and Woods could ascend to the level of Manny Pacquiao among Filipinos, though. Pacquiao has dominated his sport as the Americans have theirs but might mean as much to his country as any athlete in history.

He’s not only admired but revered, a national hero rivaled by few Filipinos in their recent history.

So why has Pacquiao become god-like in his homeland? The overriding reason seems to be simple: His perpetually struggling country needed a hero. And he couldn’t be more perfect for the role: A dirt-poor waif who built himself into a world champion while remaining humble and dedicated to his people.

“The Philippines is always looking for a hero,” said Dyan Castillejo, a Filipina broadcaster covering the Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto fight Saturday at the MGM Grand. “That’s something we’ve always lacked in the Philippines. Unfortunately, we get a lot of calamities and tragedies. A lot of bad news comes out of the Philippines. Manny is one of the few things that is a source of national pride.

“The U.S. has so many world achievers. Who else do we have? Maybe (singer) Lea Salonga or (late president) Cory Aquino. That’s it.”

The calamities Castillejo mentioned would include the recent typhoons, in which about 1,000 people were killed. Natural disasters are the norm there. The Philippines also is riddled with political corruption.

And it is a developing country, with about a third of its population living in poverty. Some Americans have learned during the current recession what it’s like to watch their money. In the Philippines, Castillejo said, scrapping by has been a way of life for generations.

“It’s a hard life there for a lot of people,” she said, “a very hard life.”

Pacquiao knows that as well as anyone, having grown up in abject poverty on the island of Mindanao. And he has never forgotten it, which is probably why he has given away millions of dollars and much of his time to help the poor. For example, he interrupted his training regimen last month to help in the recovery effort after the typhoons.

Thus, his people can relate to him because he understands their plight and admire him for his generosity.

And the fact he is humble in spite of his remarkable success endears him to everyone, not just Filipinos. He seems to have a warm smile for all those he meets and never, ever has anything negative to say, not even about an opponent. He leaves the obligatory trash talk to his trainer, Freddie Roach.

An example would be the final news conference on Wednesday. Said Pacquiao: “I don’t know what will happen in the fight but I will do my best to give a good fight. … I want to give the people enjoyment on that night and also the people who are watching in their homes. I respect Miguel Cotto’s team. They’re nice guys; they’re friendly. On Saturday, may the best man win.”

That is humility.

“A lot of people who become successful then become highfalutin,” said Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter. “They lose touch with the people when they begin to read their own press clippings. Manny has stayed the same, humble, decent person he’s always been.

“And they appreciate that. That’s definitely part of it.”

Obviously, the fact Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 knockouts) has won his fights consistently also plays a role in his popularity. He won his first major title in 1998 and, if he beats Cotto, will have won belts in a record seven weight classes.

Other Filipino fighters, such Flash Elorde, have reached the pinnacle of the sport but no one has approached Pacquiao’s prolonged success in spite of ever-increasing distractions that go with fame.

“Longevity is part of this,” said Washington Post reporter Bill Branigin, who worked in the Philippines for five years and married a Filipina. “… So far he’s been able to focus on boxing even though he’s been pulled in so many directions. That’s impressive.”

And with each victory, it seems, the reverence grows exponentially. This was particularly so when he stopped the sport’s biggest star -- Oscar De La Hoya – last December. He followed that with a spectacular one-punch knockout of Ricky Hatton that May, which removed any doubt as to whether he's a superstar.

So what if he loses on Saturday? A country might go into mourning.

“It's like the Philippines fighting a war against some foreign land (when Pacquiao fights),” said Migi Soriano, a university student in the Philippines. “Everybody is united and seems to fight with Manny. Manny's punch feels like every Filipino throwing a punch. Everytime Manny is cornered, Filipinos feel they are cornered. Every win brings a sense of hope, pride, and faith in our country. When Manny lost to (Erik) Morales, it felt like we had lost a great battle as a country.

“It would feel like losing a war, as I have said. That's how big it is. He symbolizes all our strength as a country.”

The people would still love him, though. He'll always be a hero.

Michael Rosenthal can be reached at RingTVeditor@yahoo.com