As far as media exposure, it doesn’t get any bigger than a feature on CBS’s 60 Minutes. Manny Pacquiao earned his spot on the historic weekly television show on Sunday November 7, and, as usual, shined like the global superstar phenomenon he is.
The “Pacman” segment, which followed an interview with American President Barack Obama – saving the best for last? – opened with reporter Bob Simon calling Pacquiao, “Simply the best boxer in the game today.”
It was interesting to see how Simon seemed awed by the atmosphere in the opening video footage of Pacquiao smiling joyfully as he walked to the ring at a jam-packed Cowboys Stadium in March to box Joshua Clottey.
Overall, 60 Minutes produced an excellent profile with Pacquiao, showing video ofootage of the Morales fight, Hatton fight, early career training video, as well as showing us Pacquiao in his home country and the enormous crowds of Filippinos watching his fights on public screens and televisions.
Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum called Pacquiao the best fighter he’s ever seen, superior to Muhammad Ali because, the Hall of Fame promoter said Pacquiao has equal extraordinary power in both fists.
After showing highlights of Pacquiao administering a beating on Oscar De la Hoya – with Arum interestingly noting that The Philippines tried to pass an order to cancel the fight as so many people feared their hero Pacquiao would be brutally beaten by the much bigger De La Hoya (boxing fans tend to forget that De La Hoya handpicked Pacquiao and not vice versa). As we know, Pacquiao stunningly beat up Oscar, leaving his face battered, bruised and bloodied, which provoked Bob Simon to ask Pacquiao how he felt about physically annihilating someone in that manner? “That’s boxing, it’s part of the game,” responded the seven-time champion.
The finale of the feature showed Bob Simon asking Pacquiao who he thinks is the best boxer of all time?
Pacquiao smiled playfully, then countered with his own question and his million-dollar grin, “Including me?…Me.” It was a rare example of cockiness in any way from Pacquiao but it was more fun and games than serious. I know this because the night before in Newark, NJ I met Glen Tapia (Pac’s sparring partner) and the young New Jersey junior middleweight boxer told me of an anecdote which personified Pacquiao’s true humility. In Pacquiao’s room at the camp, while hanging out between sessions, Tapia asked with curiosity, “So how does it feel to be the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world?” Tapia said Pac didn’t seem to understand the question, saying, “What?” He laughed and then answered that he doesn’t see himself as the best, he still sees himself as the underdog and that’s why he trains as hard as he does. Tapia was surprised to hear the best fighter in boxing have that kind of humble philosophy and said he became very inspired by it, and will use it as motivation in his own career.
Al in all, the 60 Minutes appearance was another knockout victory for Manny Pacquiao, equally as impressive as his “Imagine” duet performance with Will Ferrell on ABC’s “The Jimmy Kimmel Show.”
And for sure, Pacquiao further widened the gap of popularity and positivity from that American shame, the cowardly pound-for-pound pretender from Las Vegas, who bides his time these days in hiding from having to box or even answer questions about Manny Pacquiao.
Mayweather’s name was rightfully omitted from being mentioned in the 60 Minutes “PacMan” feature.