A Champion's Presence

There is so much buzz about Sunday’s fight. Or Saturday night, if you are around North America. The second both Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto step into the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. the world will come to a stop.

The buzz is being made louder by HBO. In the Philippines, the crime rate comes to zero as everyone is off the street and into their homes cheering on the “pambansang kamao.”

For us who are attending the 12th edition of “Synergy” here at the beautiful Misibis Bay Resort, the fight will surely be missed as we would be on our Cebu Pacific return flight to Manila. But we are sure the buzz will be around Legaspi City and even in the airport, where there will surely be TV monitors.

Experts predict that the fight will attract around 1 million pay view hits. The all-time record is 2.4 million for Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Oscar De La Hoya two years ago. Mayweather could be Pacquaio’s next victim as he is likely to win his seventh boxing title.

At 49-3-3, Pacquiao hasn't lost since 2005. He recently ended the careers of De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton. Oddmakers say that Pacquiao is a 3-1 favorite. Even US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Thomasian students that “no doubt Pacquiao would win.” Photo by of Welterweight boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and WBO champion Miguel Cotto during the official weigh-in by Gabriel Bouys / AFP / Getty Images.

I hope his presence on the ring will make Filipinos all over the world proud!

Goodluck Manny!

More Pacquiao Punches

Manny Pacquiao is called the best “pound for pound” boxer in the world.
And even sometimes, as the greatest fighter in the world? Maybe, for this year. Hmmm. Not yet, as there will always be Muhammad Ali!

Anyway, here are some of the best fight pictures taken by sports photographers at ringside and around the country to capture the raw emotion of victory and defeat.


Photo by Isaac Breken of Associated Press. That does hurt.


Another photo by Al Bello of AFP. Even the right hand can hurt.


I know one tabloid had for it's headline only one word. "Bagsak." And Even Robert Martinez, my batchmate from UST and former colleague from CITEM showed me a text message that says, "Hindi lahat ng natutulog nasa kama..." Definitely, in reference to this photo by Jae C. Hong from AP.


These are the hands that made Filipinos proud last Sunday! Photo credit to Gabriel Bouys of AFP / Getty Images.

Cheers to Manny Pacquiao! You made the country proud

Pacquiao Makes Filipinos Proud

We had arrived at Ate Lelang’s place in Pagsanjan, Laguna coming from Lucban, Quezon where we had spent our Labor Day weekend. We had traveled around 200 kilometers since Friday morning, through the province of Batangas and Quezon.

It was just before noontime and we caught Martin Nievera singing the Philippine national anthem, “Lupang Hinirang.”


Already, we were all smiles as we would be able to watch the Battle between East and West. Manny Pacquaio vs. Ricky Hatton!

The fight was a light welterweight superfight for the International Boxing Organization (IBO) and The Ring light welterweight (super lightweight) championship.


Over one of the country’s most famous halo-halo, we all eagerly watched the fight and cheered at every hook and jab that landed in Hatton’s face. Like many around the world, we were surprised that Hatton went down twice in the first round. Am sure, many wanted this fight to stretch to twelve rounds, and that includes the advertisers to paid big bucks to Solar Sports and GMA Channel 7 for spots in the bout and who viewed the fight at the MGM Grand Las Vegas at Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.


Photo shows Nady, Issa, Wila, Aida, Rene and Cecile cheering Pacquiao as Hatton goes down for the second time in the first round.

The Filipino boxer was picked by Las Vegas bookmakers as the favorite prior to the fight. And today, Pacquiao is easily the favorite of even more boxing and sports fans around the world and his presence on the ring today further cemented his spot as the “pambansang kamao” and the best pound for pound boxer in the world!


Cheers to Manny Pacquiao! You made the country and whole of Asia proud!

Pacquaio's pound for cash

Pacquiao returned to country last Wednesday, a few days after his punching presence in the ring caused Oscar dela Hoya to give up after 8 rounds last Sunday. Am sure that many bloggers have written about the success of Manny Pacquiao! His illustration from pinoysports.com.ph

Here are some quick facts about his recent win, specially, his presence on HBO.

1. According to HBO, the fight at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas generated about 1.25 million pay-per-view buys.

2. It is only the fourth time a non-heavyweight bout in the US reached at least one million. Interesting to note that Oscar De La Hoya has been in the ring in all the four fights.

3. Pacquiao will get an estimated gross amount worth $11.2 million or P548.8 million from the above earnings. Can you imagine how many poor families that amount can feed for one year?

4. Pacquiao’s previous pay-per-view high was 405,000 buys registered last April in his rematch against Juan Manuel Marquez.

5. It is his birthday on December 17! He is turning 30.

6. Guess who gave him a carrot cake decorated with a red boxing glove and a green boxing belt with the inscription "World’s No. 1 Pound-for-Pound Fighter."

7. He has the World Boxing Council (WBC) Flyweight, International Boxing Federation Super Bantamweight, WBC Super Featherweight, and WBC Lightweight world titles. And the first Asian to do it!

8. He lost to incumbent Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio, when he ran as congressman in South Cotabato’s first district in 2007. I hope he doesn’t make his presence in politics. He only be used by “trapos.”

9. His first name is Emmanuel.

10. He rode a 22-foot float for a motorcade-parade in General Santos City

The Pacman Wins

It was a long wait this Sunday afternoon here at our Greenhome and around the country. Yes, Manny Pacquiao wins the dream match against Oscar dela Joya.

In-between the barrage of commercials from Revicon and San Miguel Beer, millions of Filipinos cheered as the “pacman” punched his way through the “golden boys” fists.

But it wasn’t really much of a fight. It was a lopsided fight. Oscar wasn’t as aggressive as before. Probably because of his age. Or he just wanted to protect his good looks?

Anyway, Pacquiao's victory gave moments of celebration for the Filipinos wherever their presence is felt!