Hatton finished in 6 minutes
They waited for nearly four hours but it was over in just six minutes.
But jubilation still swept communities, restaurant and bars, shopping malls and gymnasiums in Western Visayas where tens of thousands of Ilonggos cheered for Manny Pacquiao after the Filipino boxing icon scored a second round knockout against British boxing star Ricky Hatton.
In Iloilo City, thousands flocked to public gymnasiums in Jaro, Arevalo and Molo Districts to watch the bout for free.
The screenings were sponsored by officials led by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, his son Iloilo Rep. Raul Gonzalez Jr. and Mayor Jerry Treñas.
Treñas lauded the boxing champion for again bringing pride to Filipinos.
“I lost my voice cheering for Pacquiao but I enjoyed it very much because Manny put up a very good fight,” said Reynaldo Blancaflor, 51, a resident of Molo District in Iloilo city who was among around 1,000 residents who watched the match at the jam-packed gymnasium.
Spectators brought stools and climbed over fences to get a clearer view of the giant screen installed at the gymnasium. Children sat or stood on their parents' shoulders to get a better view.
Anticipating a grueling match, many brought sandwiches, juice drinks and beer.
Cheers and yells erupted every time Pacquiao landed a punch on Hatton. The cheering reached a crescendo in the second round until pandemonium broke out after the final blow which floored Hatton
“Kalolooy lang siya kay Pacquiao (He was no match for Pacquiao),” said Wilfredo Solis who stayed at the gymnasium to watch the final moments of the fight being replayed.
The spectators continued to cheer after the match especially after promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank described Pacquiao during a post-match interview as the “greatest fighter that ever lived.”
“Bitin (It was over too soon),” said Josepha Dingcong, 53, who was also at the gymnasium four hours before the fight.
While also jubilant with Pacquiao's win, Sally Biansong, a vendor of salted peanuts, was also sorry that the fight ended in the second round.
“I only sold P50 worth of peanuts because of the short match. They suddenly all stood up and yelled. I didn't realize that it was all over,” she said.
There were much less tourists on the shores of the famous beach of Boracay Island as many guests went to five hotels and restaurants where the fight was shown live.
“The are few people on the beach and there is much less traffic,” said Supt. Arnold Ardiente, chief of the Boracay Special Tourist Police Office, in a telephone interview.
In the capital town of Kalibo in Aklan, thousands of residents also cheered for Pacquiao at the ABL Sports complex and in several towns sponsored by local officials led by Aklan Rep. Florencio Miraflores and Gov. Carlito Marquez.
Traffic was reduced to 10 percent of the normal in the capital town of San Jose in Antique during the match, according to Chief Insp. Gilbert Gorero, San Jose police chief.
Residents in Antique watched the match for free at the Binirayan Sports Complex.