Five Tweets I Decided not to Post about the Pacquiao-Mayweather Fight

As a die-hard fan, the past two days have been difficult for me to recover. After five years of waiting, Manny Pacquiao finally faced a formidable opponent in Floyd Mayweather, Jr. There was enough hype to push ticket prices to sky-high proportions. Pay-per-view rates went up 70%, while networks from the Philippines have decided to set aside professional differences and simultaneously provided delayed coverage (to give way to malls and restaurants who needed to make millions for this fight). I have been waiting for this fight all my (fan) life, and finally, last Saturday, they met. They fought. And of course, I don’t need to tell you again who won the fight. And after that, I couldn’t seem to move on.

They say that it is not good to write or say things at the heat of your anger. It normally blocks some of your thoughts, clouds judgement and unleashes words that are not meant to be said. To be honest I almost did say these things to my -100 followers in Twitter, but then I held off. I did say a few things but none of them were really hate words. Then after a couple of days, when I was back to my sane self, I decided to give my unsolicited, unwanted write-up of the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight.

I know, it’s a bit too late. People have already provided opinions. I have no other new things to add given that I only watched in the comfort of my friend’s home. I do not have any insider information on what actually happened before, during and after the fight. I don’t want to write an uninteresting writeup. But then why stop now after I have endured to watch a rather uninteresting fight?? So here goes.

To give a different flavor to my short essay, I will just share the top five tweets and updates I would have written during the heat of Saturday night’s, but decided not to. This ended up with my justifications, realizations and reflections about that fight. So below are the top five tweets I would have written: 

5. “Mayweather, you’re a cheat!” – To be honest, I wanted to lash out this sentence just because. Remember as a kid when you were playing a game and then you kept losing because you were can’t get better like the other boys, then you just lash out “you bunch of cheats!” In Filipino terms, “ang daya naman.” I may have found them cheats, or maybe then I thought life was cheating on me for losing. That was the same way I felt when Mayweather was dancing around, dodging the punches and hugging Manny while getting the chippy points here and there. He didn’t actually cheat, but he mastered the art of pushing the legalities of the boxing rules to the limits. And I hated him for it.

On the other hand, we can also argue that Mayweather “cheated” into luring Team Pacquiao into a lopsided fight based on TMT’s self-imposed rules. But then again, it was agreed by both parties to be this way. And that is for finally agreeing to the highest offer of the split: 40% of the total earnings, giving Pacman the biggest purse of his boxing career. $120 million in exchange for all the demands? I’d also say “Be my guest!”

4. “What a boring match!!!” – I don’t actually watch Mayweather fights because I was told they are the most boring fights ever. After watching Mayweather in full 12 rounds, that was when I realize what my friends say about him being boring. Like I said in the previous failed tweet, he did play by the rules. But then, the rules are not really meant to make boxing exciting and fun. If we ever need to blame somebody for boring fights and fighters like Mayweather, boxing rules should be changed. Like for example, there could be added point deductions for clinching more than two times per round. People have started changing rules in other sports like baseball and it would make more sense to start doing the same for boxing. We have to save the sport to save those behind them: fighters, promoters, networks, arenas like Las Vegas, those employees, etc.

Barbaric as it may seem, boxing is a rough sport and people would pay more to see more blood. That is the mere reason why Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is already overtaking the boxing box office sales. You want to take out the boring side of boxing, then alter the rules. If not, then you would still produce undefeated snorers like Mayweather and Rigondeaux.

3. “Mayweather you running and clinching a**h*le!” – This tweet would simply be stating the obvious from the first day they agreed to enter into the ring on May 2^nd. To violently comment on Mayweather running around the ring and clilnching is like complaining that Michael Jordan is shooting more than blocking shots in any one Chicago Bulls game. Everybody knows how Mayweather plans to fight and plans to win. And as expected, he stuck to his game plan. At the same time, everybody knows how Manny Pacquiao fights like a punching maniac and how his punches go from different angles. They have two unique game plans. The only difference is that last Saturday, one fighter stuck to the game plan and flourished, the other was not very successful.

This is not to put the blame on Manny for not exerting more, but then based on boxing statistics you can see who failed to do his homework. It could be the reported shoulder injury and the said Nevada Commissions ban for Manny to use the painkillers and vitamins. Then again, we go back to tweet number five. 

2. “Mayweather robbed me of my money!” – I wanted to tweet this after watching a (expectedly) boring fight. A hundred bucks for pay-per-view vs. the usual seventy and all I get is this?! But then again I came back to my senses and read back tweet number five.

1. “Pacquiao should have won that fight. Judges are blind!” – Pacquiao felt he won the fight because Mayweather did nothing. Evander Holyfield felt Manny did a pretty good job and should have won the fight. They were both partially correct. Yes, Manny did great and he deserved to be a winner. But then again, this is boxing. Manny Pacquiao is no doubt the better fighter, but Mayweather came out the better boxer.

Mayweather is a boxing Olympian. In the Olympics, the objective is not how strong you punch, but how accurate you connect. In a very short 3-round match, you need to practice not endurance, but jabbing accuracy. With helmets and very soft gloves, the intention is how you really score, and not how you go for the kill. Mayweather is an Olympian. Manny Pacquiao is a warrior. That is why Mayweather won the scorecards, but Manny won and will always win the hearts of fans around the world.

It was a sad, sad day for boxing fans from the Philippines and around the world. We have grown so fond of Floyd Mayweather’s irritating antics that the quest for finding a match has been a worldwide crusade. At some point in time  But then when that time came and the fight of the century happened, Manny fell short of a victory and supposed boxing “villain” still lurks with his devilish grin and now with a unified title around his waist.

But then, life goes on. I will always and forever be a big boxing fan, a big Manny Pacquiao fan. I think it will be difficult to develop a fighter like him and I’m afraid I will never in my lifetime see another Filipino fighter of this magnitude. Manny fought a great fight May 2^nd. The result may not be what most wanted, but then the mere fact that Pacman has touched many hearts and minds with his skills, determination, and his story of success and faith, that in itself is a big W for us Filipinos. Maraming Salamat at Mabuhay ka Manny!

What now of the storied rivalry of MayPac? Will we ever see them in the same ring again? Probably not. Will we want to see them both in the same ring again? Probably not.

For the love of boxing... and food!

We hosted a fight night party to watch Manny Pacquiao slug it out with the young New Yorker Chris Algieri. What better way to celebrate a fight night than a feast of food and drinks. This time, we decided to give the menu a hint of "traditional" Filipino...

Special thanks to a nearby Filipino store, we were able to snatch a couple of bags of the street favorite Filipino fish ball, locally made by some Filipino folks in New Jersey. I then cooked the traditional sweet sauce from scratch. Just like that, all of us felt a taste of home... :)

And to top the night off, Pacquiao gets to retain his welterweight belt by overpowering Chris Algieri. Mabuhay ka Manny!

Fishballs

365-day challenge, Day 76

22 November 2014

©JReyes

The Fishball Gang

Pacman fan for life

For 14 years now, I am an avid, rabid Manny Pacquiao fan. I admit it. Even when the going gets tough, I firmly believed Manny would win in every bout.

I have been into a flurry of heated conversations and debates defending and supporting the Pacman even in hard times: His stubbornness for longer practices, his intention to run for office, his squandering his hard earned (to the highest sense) money for billiard and cockfighting, his womanizing. He has become a part of me so heavily that subtly, he has become my hero. In fact, I have in my home a signed photograph of him with Bubbles and I. It was one of my prized possessions. It’s the only celebrity picture I have in a frame.

When I saw him fall down on the final two seconds of the 6^th round of his 4^th meeting with his nemesis, Juan Manuel Marquez, My spirit was shattered. I never felt that since the day I found out I flunked the Ateneo College Entrance Test. I nearly broke into tears when Manny was not standing up. I thought he was gone.

But then, while the camera panned at a jubilant Juan Manuel Marquez, there came Manny from behind, on his feet, smiling as usual, took Marquez’s hand and congratulated him. That time, I felt an instant shot of relief. He was okay. And I realized he was indeed okay when he went for an interview. Yes, he’s lucid, he’s back. He got knocked down, but he’s okay.

Since then, I was never used to seeing Manny take such a blow, get knocked down and not getting up. I saw him stagger a few times, but not get swept by a big hit. I practically grew up seeing him win. It was very hard to accept the fact that this time, he lost. But when I saw Manny’s take on losing this big fight, I realized that this man has transcended from being a warrior into a more respectable man of grace. He now sees the world beyond boxing, and sees that this defeat is a miniscule event in his entire persona. That’s how boxing is, one wins, another loses, he says. And that night, he admitted he was not the lucky one. That made me realize that yes, I should also move on, like what he did, which seemed instantly, making others question the authenticity of his previous fights.

Why does he recover so quickly after losing (esp. those past two fights)? It’s not because he’s had those fights fixed (there goes my defense of the champ again)! But it’s primarily because he knows that game so well, that he already admits that the winner could be anyone in that ring.

Now people are asking what went wrong? Could it be his change of religion? Or his change of lifestyle? Or his concentration on politics and show business? Or his stubbornness to take training seriously? My take is that, simply put, sh*t just happened. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bam, there goes Marquez’s strong right hook! Down he goes. From his form, we can see that he was more than prepared for that fight. He was back to his original form, back to when he beat the hell out of Barrera or Morales. He had his foot work, speed, even accuracy, a trait he hasn’t had before. Before the KO he was hitting an impressive 50% of his punches, he even staggered Marquez once in the 5^th round. He was dominating in the ring. But then again, that right hand happened. History.

I don’t want to try to be a boxing analyst like what most Filipinos do after the Pacquiao fight (but I am now!). Bottomline is, Manny lost the fight. Period. No other explanations necessary. What matters now is how he and the rest of the world would take it and how to move forward.

Haters and freeloaders to Pacquiao’s greatness would now surface and argue that the result of Saturday’s fight was inevitable and bound to happen: Boxing, religion, politics and showbiz are not a good mix. I agree.

However, I believe that Pacman od all this because he has genuine intentions: help our poor Filipinos. He knows that Filipinos depend on boxing to be entertained, to temporarily forget about their plight. He still fights amidst clamor for his retirement.

He wants to make a change in government by being in government. He wants to help as many Filipinos by giving them money: boom, Manny Many Prizes. He knows his goal: help alleviate poverty. And I agree, he has so much in his plate. All hopes cannot be pinned on one man, even though he’s THE Pacman.

I don’t understand how some Filipinos easily forget his greatness because of one KO. Please let us never ever forget that he has nothing else to prove in the ring. He’s now an eight-division world champion, and I think nobody in this generation can top that.

Next question is whether he should fight again. From the way he spoke in his post-fight interview, I think he’s in for another match, Marquez or not. But should he fight again? There is a part of me that wants to see him fight again. Fight again, regain confidence, then retire a champion. Take on Bradley or Mayweather, then retire. But there is also a part of me that says, it’s time to go. Take your hard-earned money to set up a boxing stable, have a promotions company a la De la Hoya, help other poor boxers become the next you.

Whatever he decides to do next, I’ll still be watching, buying his shirts, praying for his win, crying for his loss, and praising him for his works. Win or lose, I am and will always be an avid, rabid Manny Pacquiao fan.

Mabuhay ang kampeon! Win or lose, it’s the Pacman, we choose.

Five Realizations on the Pacquiao-Bradley Fight

When Michael Buffer announced the third judge’s decision along with the words “And new WBO champion,” I suddenly fell on my seat, kept quiet for a few seconds. After composing myself, I started tweeting all the violent words of discontent and disgust. I strongly felt we were cheated. Having watched all the Pacquiao gamers since Ledwaba, I think that this one should have been decided on his favor. I felt he got lucky on the two Marquez fights, but this one, I was convinced he won.

I wanted to write about this blog instantly, but I felt that I will only be bashing on the judges when I write. Now that I am more composed, I can look back and take on this topic with more grace, just like how Manny treated this loss.

After watching this fight, and being furious with the outcome, there also arose some realizations about Manny Pacquiao and this circus world of boxing. Here are five: 

1. Boxing is a subjective sport – Just like what analysts say, you are only secured of a victory when you KO your opponent. When you finish all 12 rounds, decision will depend on three people. Even if all the other unofficial tally boards show you a convincing lead for one boxer, it could go another way for those three judges. And that’s what CJ Ross and Duane Ford saw that night. I demand LASIK surgery for these two judges. Whoops sorry, bias shows again…

2. Boxing is gambling – For the Nth time, Manny Pacquiao is an obvious winner. Odds are in favor of the Pac Man. Less people bet because of very low returns. There is a need to lower the odds so more people will bet. So what to do? Simple: give the obvious winner a surprising loss so the next fight will be a closer, more exciting betting game.

3.       The series needs to thrive – This contract’s “Rematch clause” needs marketing. If Manny Pacquiao knocks this guy down, or wins by unanimous decision, which we all think he did, the number of people who will be watching or betting on the rematch will potentially be cut in half. Thanks to the blind judging on June 9^th, the rematch just got more exciting. Now people will want to watch Manny knock Bradley down, which he could have done in at least 3 rounds the previous fight.

4.       Boxing is a revolving door – Fights other than Pacquiao or Mayweather are not marketable. Mayweather is afraid to fight the big fights, while Manny’s speed seems to be waning and the usual wear and tear is dawning on him. Boxing needs new, marketable fighters. They see it in Tim Bradley, with 28 wins and no losses. A defeat from Manny will erase all the previous wins, and he will be branded as unworthy to be called one of the best. Boxing needs new guys, so they need to make Bradley look good, even to the expense of an obvious winner.

5.       Wake up call – The defeat is obviously a awfully judged, but it should also serve as a wakeup call to both Manny Pacquiao and the Filipino people. Manny is ageing. He has a lot of things in his plate: Congress, Bible preacher, Celebrity, Philanthropist. Focus on boxing is thinning. He badly needs a successor. Manny, please, please, please pass on the torch. Train new boxers. Promote fights. Be the next De La Hoya. The Filipino people will thank you for giving them a new hero.

The next Pacquiao-Bradley fight will be on November. Pacquiao is ready, while Bradley needs to recuperate from injuries. Pacquiao promises a more exciting fight, nothing less than a knockout. Mommy Dionesia promises a KO by Manny, if not by her. Odds will level and more people will come. The only true winners are the businessmen who thrive on this multi-million dollar sport.

Mabuhay ka Manny! 

Can Mosley survive the Pacman?

No he can't. Six year ago, maybe... Now, he won't last the entire match. Unless of course our dear Manny Pacquiao the merciful will take it easier than usual because he knows that his opponent is not worth the beating. Everybody knows this, even their promoter Bob Arum.

This fight is not worth it. A lot of people know that. They don't even trash talk! The impact? Lower ticket sales, lower pay-per-view sales, but still, more money for the boxers and the promoters. Overall, a boring fight. But of course Manny will still give it his all for show and for millions of his fans in the Philippines and around the world. He will take this to heart and will once again prove that he is the greatest fighter of this generation. And of course, Floyd will keep on hiding, dodging, and will use all alibis necessary to keep away from a "1" in his loss record. I think I heard a chicken cock. :)

On to retirement, Manny. Please please please... Just train new boxers. Boxers that will give us an olympic gold.

Manny Pacquiao: 8-time World Champion (November 14, 2010)

Another fight, another championship. Manny Pacquiao has once again proven that despite his lack of training, he still stands as the best fighter in the Universe by beating a much bigger opponent, Antonio Margarito in what was seen to be the biggest indoor boxing crowd to date that gave Manny his 8th World Title.

People have doubted Manny's readiness for this fight because of lack of focus and lack of training. Still, he proved that he is the best there is, lasting the entire game, giving Margarito two big lumps and a terrible-looking cut, plus a fracture right cheek. Referee should have ended the fight way before round 12, but he and the doctor saw it otherwise and Margarito did not want to give up. The result was an overwhelming scoring disparity, giving Pacquiao the title and breaking his own record of 7 championships.

What was noticeable was Pacquiao's after-game look. He was all beaten up as well, with bruises in the face, a swollen pair of fists, and an aching rib cage. This showed that Margarito also put up a good fight, unlike what we saw of the previously-seen lame Joshua Clottey fight. With that, my utmost respect for Margarito.

What now for Manny Pacquiao? I'd say one more try for Mayweather. If he still chickens out, Manny doesn't need to prove anything anymore. What he needs to do is concentrate on other careers. Or better yet, he should create a stable, develop a breed of young talents, teach them how to reach what he has reached and retire an 8-time champion and count all the savings. If he does a De la Hoya in promotion, he'll make more money than what he's earning now.

Boxing is not forever. By now, at the age of 32, he should start thinking of an exit strategy from a highly successful but very physically draining career of professional boxing. He is this era's greatest fighter and there is not any more opponent who can beat him. Even Floyd Mayweather.

Next fight: I'd say give in to Floyd's whims of a drug test, beat up the guy, give him his first loss of his career, retire a champion, go into business, grow old, write memoirs. A good way to go about a vary illustrious career.

Pacquiao - Clottey Fight: What Fight??

The Pacquiao - Clottey fight was a total waste of time... Too bad it got the third-highest indoor boxing game...

Clottey mentioned he was taking his time. Looks like he's expecting a 15-round fight...

In fairness to Manny, he gave his best punches to the Ghanaian, but it seems that Clottey is just too scared to be knocked down. Ugly. Simply an ugly fight.

It looks like the Gayweather fight will be as boring as these. Fraud and Joshua have the same tcheating tactics, they have the same boring blocking stance, they're both looking for good money, they're both scared of slugging it out with Manny. We'll expect more of the same from the Pacquiao - Mayweather sparring session.

Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey: The Event - March 13, 2010

Tomorrow is the main event. Two welterweight boxers will try to slug it out in the Dallas Cowboys arena. Manny at 145 1/2 lbs, and Joshua at 147 lbs. Who will be the the Welterweight King after tomorrow's contest?

So what do these fighters do on their final training day? Joshua trains harder, while Manny practices harder... for the after-fight party. :)

"Kaya join na lang kayo, let's all have a good time!!!!!" --Manny Pacquiao, Bonggahan

Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey: The Event

March 13, 2010

Dallas Cowboys Arena

Dallas, Texas

A month has passed

I didn't realize it would be this quick. It's already a month since Bubbles departed for DC. I just have to wait another 11 to see her again.

Meanwhile, I'll get busy watching the flurry of political ads that hound every gap of local primetime TV. From Villar's LSS-infusing jingle, to Gibo's ripoff of a Rivermaya hit, every candidate is starting to spend, spend and spend.

It would be interesting to see how surveys will fluctuate as these politicians go about their usual campaign routine. So far, Noynoy is still at the top of surveys, but Manny Villar is starting to gain on him, while Gibo's popularity is beginning to zoom up. We'll see more of that in he next few weeks.

Also in my list of to do's is to have a few good but cheap travels in the early parts of the year. I really want to experience the cool breeze of Banawe/Sagada and the powdery-white sands of Boracay. I haven't been to both after planning of going there even before Gloria's apology for Hello, Garci! I will try to plan it again, this time I hope it'll push through.

This year will really be interesting. For one, Chinese New Year falls on Kris Aquino's birthday! The Chinese have no choice but to push throught with this since it was set way before she was born. They'll perhaps bombard their backyards with fireworks and dragon dance to prevent themselves from hearing Kris' celebration in the Buzz. :)

Another is Pacquiao's series of great fights this year. Hopefully Floyd Jr. runs out of alibis and finally decides to fight a real man later this year. I still hope the fight of the century will still push through.

Elections this year will be unprecedented. Automation it is. I hope they tested the computers from the Millenium bug and the "I love you" virus.

A lot of sequels will be showing this year as well, one of the biggest being Iron Man's second outing. A lot more adaptations will come like the Thundercats, the A Team, Silverhawks, and Voltron! I hope they also adapt cartoons like Sky Commanders, Bravestarr, Visionaries (Kinghts of the Magical Light), He Man, or top-rating Video Games like Left 4 Dead, Call of Duty, Assasins Creed, or God of War.

I just need to keep myself busy and focus on the true reason for me and my lady's 1-year separation: prepare myself for our big big adventure.

"Wag kang aayaw! Think positive!" --Robin Padila, Revicon

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Trivia: Ateneo's real name in 1859 was Escuela Municipal, when this public school was given management to the Jesuits. It was renamed in 1865 as Ateneo Municipal de Manila when it started offering secondary education.

Pacquiao vs. Clottey

Well, at least Freddie Roach commented in favor of this fight. He said this fight will be exciting. We'll see about that... One thing exciting here is that Joshua Clottey,a native of Ghana, has never been knocked out. We'll see if the Pacman can destroy him via another KO. Exciting indeed.

At least Clottey has enough balls to face the pound-for-pound king. And for that, he is already deserving of the cheers and the honor. We'll see in March if this really is worth watching.

No More Pacquiao-Mayweather??

It's final (unless given another shot). We won't be seeing the much-awaited beating of Floyd Mayweather to the hands of the REAL pound-for-pound king, Manny Pacquiao...

It's official: Floyd Mayweather is scared of the Pacman. He's so scared of having his face drenched with his own blood. He's scared of getting his first cuts in the history of his career. He's scared that he can no longer proclaim himself the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Oh well. Can't blame him. He's just human. Humans fear for their own lives. :)

Now let's find someone else worthier of the opportunity to step in the ring with the pound-for-pound king. Choices are Paulie Malignaggi, Yuri Foreman, and the much-anticipated final battle to Juan Manuel Marquez. I'd say Manny should go for Marquez, erase the people's doubts about the matchup, go home a winner. Afterwards, he can retire, help other upcoming boxers by building his own stable (a la tony Aldeguer), get old rich.

Let Floyd Mayweather bask in his self-proclaimed glory. Manny has nothing to prove to him. His actions lately simply showed that the pretty boy is the best pound-for-pound runner. If he stills wants to prove his greatness, there is still time to prove it. If Floyd Jr fights the Pacman head on, without added BS, then he earns my respect as a boxing fan. But what does he care about my respect anyway? :)

The cancelled fight just gave me P700 worth of savings!

Save the Date!!!

Finally! Floyd Mayweather Jr. found his balls and is now ready to take on a REAL challenge in Manny Pacquiao! This will be a classic battle between the reigning pound-for-pound king versus the pretty boy! This will truly be a fight to remember for all eternity!

I sure hope Floyd will be a pound-for-pound guy as he claims to be, and not some jackrabbit fighter who like running more than boxing. Let's keep an eye for his shoes. If he's wearing a Newton or a New Balance, this fight will go nowhere...

After making the world record for 7 titles in 7 weight divisions, Manny Pacquiao is ready to take on the fight of his career. What a way to end an illustrious boxing career! After this fight, after he gives the pretty boy his needed cuts and bruises, Manny can now retire a boxing superstar. He can now concentrate on acting, on his family, on politics (hell no!).

My fearless prediction in the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight: Pacquiao by unanimous decision.

Save the Date! March 13, 2010!


-----

Let's hope Z Gorres is doing fine now in the hospital in the States. In his recent battle with a Colombian slugger, he won the fight but suffered internal bleeding when he got knocked down in the 12th round, despite winning the fight. I haven't heard any news from him since then. Hopefully he gest back in normal shape. Though it is very slim for him to be fighting again, I sure hope he could still do things normally after this.

Manny Pacquiao in Fortune 100 Celebrities

Isang pagpupugay kay Manny Pacquiao na muli na namang pinatunayan ang kanyang katanyagan sa buong mundo, sa kanyang pagiging kabilang sa 100 pinakamakapangyarihang celebrity, ayon sa Forbes. Siya at pang limampu't pito, at ang kaisa-isang Pilipinong napabilang sa hanay na ito. Ang nanguna sa talaan ay si Angelina Jolie, na siya namang dinaig ang batikang TV host na si Oprah Winfrey.

Sa 18 manlalaro sa iba't ibang larangan na napasama sa talaan, si Pacquiao lamang ang natatanging boksingerong napabilang, at nagtamo ng pansampung puwesto.

Ang nasabing talaan ay tinitingnan ang media value, web value, kinikita at abot ng kaalaman ng madla sa mga batikang tao sa larangan ng entertainment at palakasan. Si Manny ay napabalitang kumita ng $40 milyon, ayon na rin sa Forbes.

Mabuhay ka Manny! Patuloy mong pinapasikat ang lahing Pilipino!

Mabuhay din ang mga Pilipinong world class! Ayos!

P.S. Huwag ka nang tumakbo, Manny... Tumulong ka na lang sa naghihingalong industriya ng palakasan sa Pilipinas.

Pacman on Foxsports.com

Floyd Mayweather Jr., are you up for the challenge? :)

http://msn.foxsports.com/video?vid=ec674002-9782-4ca7-8177-0e0ed2eec2fd

If this pushes through on December, this will be another sports spectacle in boxing history. As always, I am confident that Manny Pacquiao will breeze through this fight. :)

Manny Pacquiao in Time Magazine

I am proud to say that I had not a single tinge of doubt on Manny Pacquiao's victory over former Light Welterweight Champion Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton. My initial prediction was a round 5 knockout. With Pacman's new level of maturity inside the ring, I am confident that he will be undefeated in the next 2-3 years. He showed through his round 2 KO over the powerful Hatton just showed that he is the best pound-for-pound fighter inside the squared ring.

Aside from this, Pacman scored another victory by being the only Filipino to be included in Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world! He joined the ranks of Fellow sportsmen Kobe Bryant, Rafael Nadal, and Michael Phelps, and other world leaders like Barack Obama and Hu Jintao. According to www.time.com, Pacquiao gathered the most number of votes with more than 20million among the list! Wow! That just shows how the Filipino ring icon is loved and respected not only by fellow Filipinos, but of boxing fans and sports enthusiasts around the world!

I'm just happy that Filipinos like Manny Pacquiao are excelling in their respective fields not just in the country, but around the world! I hope Manny Pacquiao will continue to inspire Filipinos to strive for the best and excel. I also pray that he thinks twice about getting into politics. Manny, there are many other ways to inspire and help people and politics is definitely in the bottom of the list.

Mabuhay ka Manny!

4-time World Champion!

Once again, Manny Pacquiao has proven that he's the best pound-for-pound fighter today! After a gruelling 9 rounds of boxing at the Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Pacquiao captured his fourth title in four different divisions, the first Asian to have conquered this title!

From the way he fought this morning, it showed that he has prepared well. His focus was exceptional, his fighting form, fantastic. We could not se traces of mediocrity from his last fight with Juan Manuel Marquez. He was in his tip-top shape. And all that David Diaz could say after the fight was "Manny is so f*cking fast." What ended Diaz's night was a straight right fake and a left hook combination. After that, we see Diaz's face kissing the canvas.

It's good to see Manny reach this far into the boxing realm. It is very rare to see a Filipino reach this level: Main event in a sellout Las Vegas arena, endorsements from the robe to the buttocks, a prime endorser of a #1 shoe and apparel line, and many many more! I just hope that he continues to shine and at the same time keep his feet on the ground. Filipinos need icons like him to look up to.

And hopefully he'll never run for public office. hehehe

Cheers!

Manny Pacquiao: World Champion

"It doesn't matter if you win by an inch or a mile. Winning's winning." -- Vin Diesel, Fast and the Furious

Once again, the Filipino populace was wowed by the performance of its new age icon and idol. Last Palm Sunday, March 16 (March 15 in the U.S.), Manny Pacquiao finally beat World Boxing Council Super Featherweight champion Juan Manual Marquez, proving that he is the best there is in his weight division. After a pound-for-pound match that lasted the entire 12 rounds, both fighters never let down and fought till the end. But after all punches were thrown, Pacquiao emerged as the best and the toughest. In a split-decision with a tie-breaking score of 114-113, Manny Pacquiao became the new WBC Super Featherweight Champion of the world. Another victory for the Filipino people, like what he always says after his matches.

We have to admit that Manny Pacquiao is one of the reasons, besides economic resiliency and OFW remittances, that keep this country afloat and hopeful. Everytime a Manny Pacquiao fight takes place, Filipino time stops. Crime rate declines. Ceasefire occurs. The entire nation is in jubilation for every punch landed on Manny's opponent. In this aspect, cultures are united.

However, a lot of critics have seen the latest Pacquiao fight as lopsided and controversial. Even some Filipino analysts were demanding an investigation as to what had been the outcome of the match. Indeed, it was not a convincing match, but I think it was a well-fought match. It could have gone either way. We have once again shown the Filipinos' penchant for controversy, dissatisfaction and crab mentality.

I am a self-confessed Manny Pacquiao fan. I strongly believe that he will go down in history as the highest paid Filipino athlete of all time. And I know that he will go down the records as the most successful Filipino boxer, alongside or even better than the late greats Pancho Villa and Gabriel Elorde.

I think in cases like these, we should be able to protect our own breed. In Mexico, even if Morales was beat to a pulp, you will never hear a Mexican analyst saying that his fighter is weak. In China, wherever the Chinese goes, they support each other: be it good sides or bad. It's about time we leave the crab mentality behind.

I know that there were lapses in the Pacquiao camp. But these criticisms should be constructively put. I personally think that the "investigation" comment by one boxing analyst was very much uncalled for. But this is a free country so he can speak of what he thinks is right. Oh well.

It is about time that we give not just Manny Pacquiao but all other achievers of the country our all out support. In the end, it is not just their spirits who are uplifted, but every Juan de la Cruz out there who is looking for good news and reasons for believing that Filipinos are one of the best races in the world.

Cheers to Manny Pacquiao, the new WBC Super Featherweight Champion!