An article written by Manny Pacquiao, as a reaction to some boxing analyst.

Finished Business, Original Tagalog Version

March 20, 2008
Source: Abante Online

Isang masayang pagbati po sa inyong lahat. Malugod ko po kayong kinukumusta matapos sabay-sabay nating natamo ang isa sa pinakamimithi nating hangarin.

I would like to report to the Filipino people and to all boxing fans, especially my family and supporters: Mission accomplished! Iuuwi ko na po ang World Boxing Council super-featherweight title at ang Ring Magazine “People’s Champion” belt nang magwagi ang buong sambayanang Filipino nitong Sabado (Linggo sa Manila) sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

Marahil alam na po ninyo o narinig na ang naging resulta ng laban, na nanalo ako sa pamamagitan ng split decision laban sa dating kampeon na si Juan Manuel Marquez ng Mexico.

I congratulate Juan Manuel for giving his best, and I think he gave out the best performance of his career. Our fight was a victory for all of boxing because we proved to everyone that we have the heart of champions and nobody backed off from giving the fans what they paid to see and hoped to happen.

Marami po sa aking mga kababayan ang malugod na tumawag sa akin upang batiin at marami akong natanggap na mga masasayang comments, lahat sila ay naniniwala na ako ang karapat-dapat na nanalo sa laban. I commend my opponent for coming up with the best offense and defense which made our fight interesting and very, very close.

Naniniwala ako na iyong knockdown na naitala ko sa ikatlong round ang isa sa pinakamalaking break para sa akin sa laban at wala akong pangangamba na ako ang dapat tanghaling kampeon sa labang iyon. Ang “Unfinished Business” namin ay “Finished Business” na, kung ako ang tatanungin.

Marami ang tumutuligsa sa decision ng judges at nakakapanghina ng loob na ang iba rito ay mga kapwa Filipino ko, kasama na rin ang ibang miyembro ng media. Nakakapagtaka dahil mukhang mas magagaling pa sila kaysa sa tatlong judges na nasa harap mismo ng entablado at nakatutok sa laban. Ang iba sa mga tumutuligsa sa akin ay mga taong nanood lamang sa harap ng isang maliit na TV kung saan maingay o kaya sa madilim na sinehan. Hindi ko po sila masisisi. Sa isang malayang lipunan, ang bawat isa ay may karapatang ibigay ang kanyang opinion, maging tama man ito o hindi.

Walang problema para sa akin kung magkakaayos man ulit para sa isang rematch kahit na sampong beses pa kaming maglaban, pero bakit pa? Napatunayan ko na kaya kong sabayan, talunin at pabagsakin muli ang isa sa mga pinakamagaling na counter-puncher sa larangan ng boksing at gaya ng naitalang decision ng tatlong judges, wala na dapat pang pagdebatihan o pagtalunan pa.

Noong nagtabla kami noong unang laban namin at nagkamali ang isang judge may nagsabi bang dapat paimbistigahan dahil nagkamali at umamin ang isang judge na dapat 10-6 ang score sa first round at hindi 10-7? Hindi ko alam kung bakit nag-kumento ng ganito ang mga taong ito, baka dala lang ng katandaan at hindi na alam ang ginagawa, NAKO!!! Sana sa pag tanda ko hindi ako matulad sa kanila na kung ano ano na lang ang mga pinagsasabi.

Hindi lang po ako natutuwa sa mga sinulat at sinabi ni Ricardo “Recah” Trinidad ng Inquirer, kasama na ang iba pa, dahil binabale-wala na lang niya ang lahat ng sakripisyong aking ibinibigay sa bansa at ang pag-aalay ko ng aking buhay. Narinig kong gusto pa ng matandang ito na paimbestigahan ang mga hurado. Natatawa na lang po ako, medyo naiinis na rin.

Ang tatlong judges, sila Tom Miller, Duane Ford at Jerry Roth, kasama ang HBO analyst na si Harold Lederman ay nagkapare-pareho ng score sa unang limang round, lamang ako, 48-46. Ang dalawa sa tatlong official judges ay pumabor din sa akin sa pang-anim na round. Pare-pareho ang mga score ng dalawa pang judges na si Miller at Ford sa round 9 at 10, na siyang nagbigay sa aking ng kasiguruhan na ako ang tatanghaling kampeon sa huli.

Nakakadismaya na si Trinidad pa ang humihingi ng isang imbestigasyon dahil sa hindi lang tumugma ang kaniyang opinion. Imbestigasyon nino? Imbestigasyon sa Senado? Imbestigasyon sa Korte Suprema? Imbestigasyon sa Las Vegas ? Ginoong Trinidad, umpisahan mo ang iyong balak, baka may makuha kang mga supporter at makapag-umpisa ka na ring mag-martsa sa EDSA.

Kinukutya mo pa ako sa pagkapanalong ito dahil sa tingin mo ay nagkakawatak-watak ang mga taong naniniwala na ako ay nanalo o natalo. Hindi man lang binigyan ni Trinidad ng kaunting kahihiyan ang kaniyang sarili.

Naniniwala ako na patas ang naging decision at diyan na dapat magtatapos ang anumang usapan. Maraming salamat po.

Finished Business English Translation

Happy tidings to you all. I hope you are all well, after we, together, realized one of our fondest hopes.

I would like to report to the Filipino people and to all boxing fans, especially my family and supporters: Mission Accomplished! I am bringing home the World Boxing Council super-featherweight title and the Ring Magazine “People’s Champion” belt, after the entire Filipino nation triumphed this Saturday (Sunday in Manila) in Las Vegas,
Nevada.

Likely, you already know or have heard of the result of the fight, that I won by way of a split decision against former champion Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico.

I congratulate Juan Manuel for giving his best, and I think he gave out the best performance of his career. Our fight was a victory for all of boxing because we proved to everyone that we have the heart of champions and nobody backed off from giving the fans what they paid to see and hoped to happen.

Many of our countrymen called in their heartfelt congratulations to me, and I received many happy comments, all of them believing that I justly won the fight. I commend my opponent for coming up with the best offense and defense which made our fight interesting and very, very close.

I believe that the knockdown that I delivered in the third round was one of the biggest breaks in my favor, and I have no doubt that I am rightfully the champion from that fight. Our "Unfinished Business" is now "Finished Business",
if I were to be asked.

There are many who criticize the decision of the judges, and it is disheartening that some of these are fellow Filipinos, including some members of media. It is curious how they feel superior to the three judges right in front of the ring and focused totally on the fight. Others, criticizing me, include those watching only before a small TV in a noisy space, or in a dark theater. I cannot begrudge them. In a free society, every one has a right to give their opinion, be it right or wrong.

It is no problem for me if a rematch can again be arranged, even if we have to fight ten more times, but to what end? I've proven that I can stay with, beat and drop one of the absolute best counterpunchers in the realm of boxing, and as the three judges' decision makes clear, there's naught left to debate or argue.

When we fought to a draw in our first fight, and one judge erred, was there anyone calling for an investigation because of the mistake, since that judge admitted he should have scored the first round 10-6 and not 10-7? I cannot fathom why these people now comment as they do. Perhaps it is due to advancing age on their part, and they are unaware of what they are doing. Oh, mother! That I should not be like them when I grow old, and speak so recklessly.

I am unhappy about the scribblings and utterances of Ricardo “Recah” Trinidad of the Inquirer, along wit others, because they devalue all the sacrifices I've given the country and my staking of my very life. I've heard that this old man wishes to have the fight judges investigated. I can only only try to laugh it off, but I am irritated.

The three judges, Tom Miller, Duane Ford and Jerry Roth, along with HBO analyst Harold Lederman, have the same scores for the first five rounds, myself ahead 48-46. Two of the official judges favored me in the sixth round. Judges Miller and Ford gave identical scores for rounds 9 and 10, which assured that I would be named champion in the end. It dismays me, how Trinidad is demanding an investigation because things are not in accord with his opinion. Whose investigation will it be? A Senate investigation? A supreme Court investigation? A Las Vegas-based investigation?

Mr. Trinidad, you should act upon your proposal, and pehaps try to draw supporters to march upon EDSA. You furthermore needle me on this victory because you claim our people are suffering from disunity because of contrary opinions on whether I won or lost.

Mr. Trinidad does not allow himself the least bit of shame. I believe the decision was fair, and should end all such discussion, thank you very much.