Solon sponsors viewing for Ilonggos; VM hails boxing icon’s win
National pride soared once more Sunday afternoon (Saturday night in Dallas, Texas) when Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao won his eighth world title.
So dominating was Pacquiao that judges gave him the unanimous decision – at 120-109 from Jurgen Langos, 118-110 from Glen Cocker, and 119-109 from Oren Schellengerger – in their bout at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium before a crowd of 41,734 boxing fans.
The News Today monitoring team noted that right at the start, Pacquiao was relentless in his attack and that by the fourth round Margarito’s right eye was already swollen with the Filipino boxer inflicting telling injuries on his cheeks and, later, on his left eye on the tenth round.
The Sarangani congressman was looking at referee Laurence Cole in the 11th round apparently to stop the fight due to the damage on Margarito’s face and eyes.
Speed and power proved to be Pacman’s formula to offset the Mexican’s weight and reach advantage enroute to clinching the World Boxing Council super welterweight title for the 154-pound category.
A measure of national pride dwelt, too, for Margarito, who said he had to fight to the end despite the injuries wrought by Pacman on his face. “I’m a Mexican who fights to the end,” he was quoted as saying after the match.
Pacquiao acknowledged Margarito’s power, saying he was strong but was quick in pointing out he could not believe he eventually outclassed him. But he, told reporters he tried “his best to win the fight” through his lethal counterpunches and uppercuts.
Pinoys’ Pandemonium
Pandemonium reigned among Filipinos who cheered Pacquiao’s attack round after round, especially when he was declared the winner, Philippine sports leader Monico Puentevella, who covered the event live for Bombo Radyo, told The News Today.
The Negrense sports leader and friend of Pacquiao described the mood as one of great jubilation despite the outcome falling short of a knockout expectation.
For us Filipinos, it was the funeral march for the Latinos and Mexicans. “Margarito, the last man standing among them has fallen,” Puentevella said.
Prior to the ringing of the bell, Margarito was recorded with a 17-pound weight advantage 165 against Pacquiao’s 148.
He used his power and speed so effectively to compensate for the height difference, Margarito being six inches taller, said former Philippine Sports Commissioner Eric Loretizo, a Negrense.
Ilonggos’ Jubilation
Vice Mayor Jose Espinosa III led Ilonggos in hailing Pacquiao’s unprecedented victory.
Espinosa, chairman of the Iloilo City Sports Council, said Pacquiao’s victory makes him “very much” proud to be a Filipino like his fellowmen in the Philippines and across the globe, who are jubilant over the Filipino ring icon’s success.
“With self-determination, a Filipino can be a world-class athlete,” he told The News Today in a text message.
Espinosa said it was evident that the Pacquiao-Margarito bout was “a lopsided match,” adding that the Filipino was in control of the whole match, which “should have been stopped on the 10th round.”
Manny had earlier won the world titles at 112, 122, 126, 130, 135, 140 and 147.
Pacman admitted after the fight that he got hurt by Margarito’s offensives early in the match “on the body and the face when he had me against the ropes.” But he was quick to throw the counterpunches that derailed Margarito’s strategy to stop the Filipino.
As in Pacquiao’s past titular matches in the United States, Sunday activities halted for most Ilonggos as many of them trooped to public places where the boxing bout was shown live.
At Jaro gym, more than 2,000 Ilonggos came to watch the fight through a live feed from Sky Cable sponsored by Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas.
Others settled for radio reports and delayed local telecast which, viewers complained, was disrupted by a flood of commercials.
A check by The News Today showed hundreds of Ilonggos also paid to watch the fight live in the theaters of Iloilo’s two major malls.
The SM City Iloilo Cinema 6 was filled to its capacity with more than 800 boxing followers watching the fight, shelling out P500 each.
At Robinsons Place Iloilo Movieworld, close to 300 people paid P350 each to view the boxing match live.
The PAREF Westbridge School, a private school for boys in Iloilo City, sponsored a showing of the Pacquiao-Margarito fight for P500 with lunch at Sarabia Manor Hotel.
In Negros Occidental, the Bacolod city government also sponsored a live viewing in various venues, while in all towns and cities in the province’s 3rd District, Rep. Alfredo Benitez sponsored the showing in their gyms with the venues already overflowing with people as early as 9 a.m.* ADC & TNT Sports Team
