A Dream-Punch Come True

Pacquiao just won and knocked the effen Diaz out! Crazy as you think, it’s his punch that I have been dreamin’ of .. . to hit me. Yes, I know it’s the most foolish wish a fan would want to have; a taste of one legal punch.

I have never been to a real fist fight. I have few casual karate sparring when I was in gradeschool and highschool. They were done in the school backyard out of martial art enthusiasm.

This time it’s boxing. Specifically, it’s science. And to those who see boxing as brute rather than sport, yes it has science! Blame it on Manny Pacquiao, he made me discover a better science than the one I learned in highschool, hehehe!

(the belt and the swells in the face of the photo above is digitally manipulated)

Call it euphoria or too much fanaticism or just plainly idiotic to dream of a punch from Pacquiao, whose punch I might not be able to take, regardless of my junior welterweight size. But instead of being frustrated of not getting that feel-of-a-punch-from-Pacman dream, I opt to buying 2 pairs of nice professional gloves (and one used Mixed Martial Art gloves) to have an exercise-purpose boxing.

I tried Elorde’s Gym (by the way, I’m in Cagayan de Oro) but it was a bit costly at that time since I was a bum (and maybe I am still). So I picked on some friends and fooled them to jump on the wagon of my fanaticism — and I was successful.

We have been doing it every Saturday night. No head gears and mouth-pieces since we don’t need them with our agreed light punches.

But last Saturday night, (June 28), a big tall-enough friend Alex was there (tinkering on his laptop) and got curious while I was wrapping my hands getting ready for our sparring session.

He wanted to try and I let him.

Then he came with his really huge hard first punch. I managed to duck. He didn’t know our rules, or how everything should be as an exercise. I am about to tell him that he should not do it seriously but I chose not to. I thought, "whoa, he’s throwing serious wide punches! I’d better try this with him and see how I would take this new-guy punching syndrome."

It proved to me more than a challenge as he was widely-punching his way through me with really hard blows. I thought, "this is it!!!" I tried boxing (not fighting) him scientifically with everything that I’ve learned from reading boxing forums. I counter-punched him three times to his cheek. But that was after he hit me with one big blow on my CHIN!!!

I didn’t see stars but my world rocked like I was riding in a very small quick-rotating Ferris Wheel. I don’t know if I looked wobbly but I did survive that punch. But not without a deep cut in my upper-left lip. It’s swelling as of today. I guess this is the fastest way to have a pouted lips, hehehe! But not only that, I felt my upper jaw and my front teeth were misplaced or moved an inch to my right. Good thing they are perfectly safe and intact, except for one numbed and in pain front-tooth.

I smiled after that night and said, "wow, that really hurt me but what an experience! Could Pacquiao’s punch that hard?" Alex is about 174 lbs. and I’m the same, so that spells like we two welterweights (almost middleweights) inside a ring.

I did think of having a rematch but since he can’t finish a complete 3-minute round without catching his breath, I guess he’d lose anyway. I have the advantage of psychological & physical conditioning, hahaha!!!

My Manny Pacquiao dream-punch came true in the hands of a friend - Alex Perez!! It could be a lot harder with Pacquiao!!!

<-- the danger of not wearing a mouthguard