Is anyone surprised at the shower of love Manny Pacquiao is getting in Puerto Rico?
Please do not count me among the uninformed.
Per capita, the fight fans of Isla Encanta might be the world's best. Compared to Mexico, the UK and other countires, they are a small group but Boricuas love their beisbol and their boxeo.
Miguel Cotto, also a caballero like Pacman, is respected for sure. No one really has a bad word for the fan friendly fighter and family man from Caguas.
But, try as he might, Cotto has never inspired the intensity and complete devotion his countryman had for big puncher Felix "Tito" Trinidad. It's no knock on Cotto, mind you, just like it's no knock to say that Floyd Mayweather Jr. doesn't have the USA following that Sugar Ray Leonard used to command.
Personally, the "I do my talking in the ring" guys usually bore me. But Puerto Ricans take fighters as they come in personality, whether it's the stoics such as Bazooka Gomez or Esteban DeJesus or the handshaking, genial Jose "Chegui" Torres.
What matters to Boricuas is what a fighter does when that bell goes ding, ding, ding. They gave all due praise to Latin superstars from Panama (Roberto Duran, Nicaragua (Alexis Arguello) and Mexico (JC Chavez and the tragic Salvador Sanchez).
They have a genuine respect for ring crafstmen, especially those whose heart and courage is unquestioned.
They love boxing, they love genuine artilce fighters.
They would've given respect to Bernard Hopkins, before and after he beat hero Tito, if he had not thrown their beloved bandera in the gutter.
Ergo, they love Manny Pacquiao.
They still want Native Son Cotto to beat him.
But, as they say in American politics, they respect the process.
The only surprise is that anyone would be surprised.
Source: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-5699-NY-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m9d12-Puerto-Ricans-love-boxing-ergo-they-love-Pacquiao
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