IN combat sports, every great fighter meets their match — a counterpart so formidable, so inextricably linked to their journey, that their legacy is forever defined by that rivalry. Manny Pacquiao had Juan Manuel Marquez, and Jon Jones had Daniel Cormier.
But guess what? Life isn’t much different. Everyone — athlete or not — meets that one person who pushes them beyond their limits, who draws out the best in them in ways they never imagined.
I’ve said this line countless times — whether in print, on camera, or just in casual conversations with my inner circle: The good Lord has used this profession I love to bless me with the life I have today.
Yet, whether you call it a career or a vocation, this industry that has consumed more than a decade of my life has also gifted me that relentless sparring partner — the one who challenges me, humbles me, and yes, occasionally knocks me out of the park.
Before you get it twisted, let’s make one thing clear — I don’t consider myself an athlete. But let’s be real: Pacquiao only had to deal with Marquez four times. Cormier only got to cross paths with Jones twice. Me? My toughest rival is one I face every single day, from the moment I open my eyes to the second I close them.
You guessed it right — my wife.
When I landed this gig as a sports columnist, I swore I’d never write about my personal life. But as the saying goes, every rule has an exception. Today, I’m making one. Because today, I celebrate the woman who has been in my corner for every round of this fight called life since 2018.
It all started in a boxing gym in Mandaluyong — a place where I spent most of my time when I wasn’t covering fights. It was there, watching her scale a 20-foot rope, that I realized — this lady with an undercut pixie bob hairstyle was different. And just like that, life threw me into a new kind of bout.
Fast forward two years, and in the middle of a world gripped by a pandemic, we exchanged vows before an intimate gathering of 30 people. Since then, we’ve been blessed with a child who now rules our daily routine with a tiny iron fist.
Lately, I’ve been reflecting — taking stock of where we are and how far we’ve come. Life hasn’t exactly been a smooth ride. We’re moving up the pecking order, facing the natural growing pains of marriage: financial pressures, the demands of a toddler, and the struggle to find time just to be husband and wife. It’s a fight card of its own.
But here’s what I always tell people: purpose and perspective. And funny enough, I’ve been the one needing that reminder. When life was uncertain, God put my wife in my corner to be the compass I needed — to help me navigate the unpredictable currents ahead.
As I fixed my gaze upon the two P’s I’ve always championed, it became strikingly evident that a man’s success is often tied to the woman he chooses to have by his side. It’s no accident that my wife was there when I started hitting my stride as a journalist. It’s not mere coincidence that she’s the one who cracks open a window to let in the sunlight when doors slam in my face.
If there’s one certainty in life, it’s that challenges will always come. Tough times are inevitable. But at the end of the day, it’s not the weapons you bring into battle that win you the war — it’s the people standing shoulder-to-shoulder with you.
So today, as we mark another year in your life, my dearest Faye Kathleen, I want to let you know this that through every triumph and setback, through every round we’ve fought together, I know one thing for sure — there’s no one else I’d rather go the distance with than you.
Happy 33rd birthday, Bibi!
(For comments or questions, reach the author at nissi.icasiano@gmail.com or visit his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nissi.icasiano.)
