A Pacquiao fight is an annual pilgrimage to places that show Pacquiao fights sans commercials. At the Club Filipino in San Juan last Sunday, I saw familiar faces, the same Pacquiao t-shirts, bottles of beer before noon and plates of peanuts and calamares that serve as lunch.

Part of the experience is to be able to watch a clean feed of the fight (minus on-air commentary) while another part is hearing the running commentary by the enthusiastic gallery. Some comments made perfect sense. Other remarks simply cannot be printed verbatim. Overall, it just showed how passionate we are about all things Pacquiao. So here’s what I overheard at the Pacquiao-Clottey fight:

• Ang laki ng loko na ‘to ah
• Aba pasayaw-sayaw pa
• African yan diba?
• Manny’s so cute
• Sino yan? (Arnel Pineda on the screen)
• Siya yung sa Journey
• Parang pumiyok sa dulo ah
• Batikos na naman abutin niyan
• Ang laki talaga ng loko oh
• Manny’s so cute
• Go Manny!
• Ang itim talaga hindi ko makita
• Yang body shots masasakit yan
• Kilala talaga for defense si Clottey
• Ayaw talaga bumuka ng depensa
• Matibay
• Booo laban naman
• Hahahaha pompyang!
• Mala-FPJ yun ah
• Yun Manny go go go
• Ang laki talaga eh
• Iba talaga pag itim ang kalaban
• Manny’s so cute
• Jenkeeeeee!
• Kung Mexican yan, tumba na yan
• C’mon Manny let’s do this
• I guess it’s going the distance
• Buhay ka pa
• Ayaw talaga bumagsak
• Corny ng laban
• Hindi ko hintayin scorecards, Manny na yan
• So when’s the Mayweather fight? MH

What a coincidence. I was interviewed for the QTV Channel 11’s weekly show Ang Pinaka last Thursday. The topic was biggest international sports scandals. The day after, Talk N Text walks out of Game 4 of the PBA Quarterfinals. Nice.

I was on EDSA north-bound about to make the 6pm calltime for the Purefoods-Rain or Shine game. While on the road, I followed the Talk N Text-Ginebra game on radio (810khz). First, the collision between Ranidel de Ocampo and Ronald Tubid. Then, the announcement for a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2. Then, the ejection. Then, PBA radio sportscaster and ANC Hardball host Boyet Sison hollered in baritone, ”Talk N Text is walking out of the court!” Read the rest of this entry »

Pacquiao versus Clottey doesn’t have the same zing as Pacquiao versus Mayweather. People knew that even before the name Joshua Clottey entered national consciousness. Boxing has a knack of giving us the good, the bad and the ugly. Good for Clottey. Bad for an expectant sports universe. Ugly way to cancel the super-fight of 2010. I’m sure, though, we’ll get over the disappointment. It’s the bewilderment that’s hard to overcome.

The experts shake their heads. A logical match-up was foiled by irrational demands. Both camps said they wanted to slit each other’s throats. The furious exchange of allegations, however, exposed someone’s hesitation. Floyd will forever say it was Manny who hesitated. Manny will forever say it was Floyd who blinked. Mayweather, though, threw the gauntlet when he proposed to have Manny’s blood screened for Superman DNA. Nice way to start a playground brawl. Let’s bring out our beakers, goggles and lab gowns first, then, play around with the microscope, then, test the Theory of Relativity, and then we fight each other until our eyeballs pop out. If Mayweather drooled to body-smash Pacquiao in the ring, he did a fine job concealing it.

Of all the characters in this comedy, only Mayweather had reason to back-out of this fight. Top Rank and Golden Boy won’t say no to a big payday. God knows their freeloaders all wanted this fight to push through. Pacquiao’s mythical status would’ve been cemented by a win over Mayweather. Floyd Jr., however, had a perfect record to protect. If he knew clobbering Pacman would be as easy as 1-2-3, a deal would’ve been clinched by now. Mayweather, as suggested by his demands, thinks Pacquiao is Wolverine. Those damn retracting bone claws can tear Mayweather’s pristine 40-0 record into shreds.

Perhaps, for Mayweather, perfection is that important. It’s more important than reputation. The world can call him a chicken. But he’s a chicken who will leave this earth with a perfect record. Years from now, fans will be left guessing who would’ve triumphed in a Pacquiao-Mayweather duel. If the super-bout never happens and Mayweather retires as an undefeated fighter, Floyd Jr. has his legacy intact. He defends his record the way he defends his pretty face in the ring. The man isn’t out for blood. The man is in pursuit of perfection for all time. MH

It’s disconcerting to read recent statements from Floyd Mayweather, Jr. that provide contrasting views. He sounds like the world’s biggest badass one minute. Moments later, he starts postulating like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory.

Badass says: “First and foremost, not only do I want to fight Manny Pacquiao, I want to whip his punk ass.” Read the rest of this entry »

God Save Queen Dionisia:

• I don’t know which was more impressive: the grand welcome Pacman received at the MGM Grand or Aling Dionisia’s colorful arrival at the Las Vegas airport?
• Somehow I suspect there are oversized diamond rings hidden inside those oversized red winter gloves
• And maybe you haven’t received the memo: Aling Dionisia’s new sobriquet is “Mommy D”

Read the rest of this entry »

 
Posted in boxing, manny pacquiao, Mico Halili, sportscasters, champs | 1 Comment »