MANNY PACQUIAO = THE BEST PERSON IN THE WORLD?
Well, the other day we got the honor to meet him. The Man who is not only the world’s highest ranked world champion in the world’s coolest sport. But the Man who is also among the best and humble I ever met.
It is the Man who started his path as a poor child who went without food for days, and lived on the street. The Man who at 11 years had to take over the supply responsibility for his mother and her three siblings after his father left them.
It is the Man who, after fishing, baking bread and looking for food in the streets, took on the gloves as a thin 12-year-old dropout from school. It is the Man, little boy then, who won match after match. The Man who at the age of 16 and with 5 kg too low weight, forged his ID and stuffed stones in the pockets to get to box with the big boys. It is the Man who, despite his lower weight and age, won the match after the match.
It is the Man who has since not tactically backed for a single match at his level. It is the Man who completely crushed all other boxer champs I, as a young boxer myself, had as idols before (!) Pacquiao came and made them look like beginners. It is the Man who has since become the only one in history who has taken world champion titles in 8 weight classes.
It is the Man who, in spite of his superiority, never shouted and played tough, but always had his humility and pleasantness toward others.
This is the Man who has since become a senator and sits in the Philippine parliament. It is the Man who has never forgotten his origin, but always is nice to ‘locals and plays with all children. This is the Man who today is a billionaire, and has given tons of money to poor children who have as little as he once had.
It is today the Man who at the age of 40 now makes a comeback. The man who, when we meet him, made his usual day pass with 8 hours of training, starting at 4 AM with 1000 situps and running, then sparring, rope, sack, technology and shadow. And a little more, and a little more. It is the Man who is completely rock hard, and completely lightning fast, and completely … wonderful.
This is simply the Man!
I have been mingled with international billionaires, models, artists, influencers, royaltees, volunteers, athletes and global entrepreneurs long enough to not to be so easily impressed. But now I was totally, totally (!) starstruck. More than anything else, ever. Respect. Total genuine one hundred percent Respect. What a Man.
This is exactly, precisely what we stand for. Asked what it was that made him succeed, Manny just said one thing. Discipline. A huge rock hard discipline. To that can be added the little knowledge in boxing that his uncle Sardo delivered to him as a 12 year old.
And that’s exactly what everything is about. With a great deal of discipline and a little bit of knowledge, just anything (!) is possible. At AIAR, we can’t give you the first, the discipline you have to find yourself. But we can give you the other. We can give you the knowledge, no matter where you live, and no matter how poor you are.
And once you have it. When you have the discipline, and get the knowledge, then you can become exact, precisely who you want.
Maybe a world champion? Perhaps a billionaire? Or maybe even senator?
Like pacquiao. Or like you. If you get the discipline. And if yoyu let us give you the knowledge.
When that happens, it is nothing more than respect. 100% genuine respect. And joy :) For now we take off!
Just like Pacquiao. Not backing for anything. Though never forgetting where we come from. Respect!!
