On May 3, 2015, the entire nation was at a standstill as Filipinos tuned in to watch the country’s number one fighter go up against Floyd Mayweather Jr. In what was dubbed as “The Fight of the Century,” the entire country cheered on as Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao delivered one blow after another, but was then dismayed as the fight’s judges ultimately declared Mayweather as the winner.
Despite the fight’s outcome, Filipinos expressed their solidarity with the Pacman and took to the Internet to show their love for him via social media. The Fight of the Century not only showed the world what Filipinos were made of, but also conveyed several life lessons of which we listed here.
Life Lesson #1: Be ready for life’s punches and counter-punches. Always know what you’re dealing with. Manny has always relied on a flurry of punches to take his opponent out, a fighting style that contradicted Floyd’s counter-attack strategy. Train hard for what you gotta do, but study and understand what you’re up against.
Life Lesson #2: A step forward doesn’t always lead to success. Sometimes you need to step back and assess the situation fully. Floyd is known to be a calculated fighter. So think things through like he does.
Life Lesson #3: You can listen to the advice of those who care about you, but ultimately you decide on what to do with your life. Floyd Sr. told Floyd Jr. to attack, but Jr. thought it best to hold back and that worked for him.
Life Lesson #4: You don’t necessarily have to win to be the winner. Ultimately, losing the fight does not mean that you are defeated. While Floyd got the title belt, Manny still got the popular vote. We don’t call Manny the People’s Champ for nothing!
Life Lesson #5: Be humble in victory. In the post-fight interview, Floyd said about Manny, “He’s a hell of a fighter, and I take my hat off to Manny Pacquiao… I see why he is one of the guys that’s at the pinnacle in the sport of boxing.”
Life Lesson #6: Accept defeat with grace. “I thought I won the fight,” mused Manny during the post-fight interview and continued, “He didn’t do nothing.” If it’s any consolation, the fans thought so, too, Manny. But comparing Floyd’s positive comments about the People’s Champ during the post-fight interview, we think Floyd showed more class.
Life Lesson #7: Take the hits and don’t blame anyone else for your failures. It’s dismaying to read about Manny’s camp crying foul and putting the blame on a shoulder injury for his loss. Manny, please refer to Life Lesson #6.
Life Lesson #8: Never lose faith in yourself. Until the twelfth round, Manny believed that he had the upper hand and he didn’t let defeat bring him down. Remember: faith definitely gives you the boost you need to keep going, especially through life’s hardships.
Life Lesson #9: Know your goals and stick to them. Manny wanted to give his all. He said in an interview, “I like being an underdog. It gives me determination. But I am confident 101%.”Meanwhile, Floyd wanted to win for the money so he could provide generously for his family.
He said in another interview, “A 19-year career, with no punishment on the body and hundreds of millions in the bank. Now that’s something to talk about. At the end of the day, my daughter can’t eat no zero. She can’t spend a boxing record.”
It’s safe to say, after watching the fight of the century, that they were both able to achieve their goals.
Life Lesson #10: Fight hard, but more importantly, fight smart. Sometimes, it isn’t about how powerful your blows are, but how you can efficiently take on a challenge. In life, there are people who work hard for what they want, but if they do it in the wrong way, then it’s pointless and uses up energy. If you work smart, not only do you get the task accomplished, but you also do it in the best way possible for yourself.
Life Lesson #11: Put heart and passion into your work and everyone will feel it, even your opponent. We’d like to believe that was why Floyd kept hugging Manny throughout the fight!
Life Lesson #12: Hug it out. Sometimes it’s the best way to overcome sadness or anger at one other or simply to just spread good vibes to everyone around you. After the fight, we see Floyd approaching Manny and giving him one final hug. Really, nothing but a hug to tell another person there are no ill feelings.
Life Lesson #13: Don’t forget the fist bump. This is best done after hugging it out. It shows you respect the other person, no matter what your differences are. Always be sure that what you’re doing is the right thing to do, so that whether you win or lose, you maintain your dignity and the respect of people.
Life Lesson #14: View things from an objective perspective. Manny’s fans worldwide were emotional about the unanimous decision of the judges in favor of Floyd. But let’s admit it: Floyd led Manny to fight Floyd’s way and got more punches in than Manny did according to the official scorecard.
Life Lesson #15: No matter what, family comes first. It was wonderful to get a glimpse of Manny’s and Floyd’s wives and kids showing support for the fighting dads from the ringside. It certainly gives one a confidence boost to have loved ones show you they’re on your side.
On that note, where was Mommy Dionisia? Manny certainly could have benefited from her voodoo hex. Just kidding. Well, semi-kidding.
Did you pick up any life lessons from the Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather fight? Please share them in our Comment Box below!
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