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Philippines, 27 Nov 2024 |
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ALTHOUGH PACQUIAO DIDN?T SHOW UP, TARGET DARTS HIT THE BULLSEYE By Ronnie Nathanielsz PhilBoxing.com Sat, 27 Aug 2011  Although pound for pound king and special guest Manny Pacquiao failed to show up at the elaborately laid out and classy set-up for the Target Darts press conference at the Penthouse of the Midas Hotel, organizers still hit the bullseye because of the large media turnout and the interest generated in darts by those present. While there was disappointment all around at Pacquiao?s failure to appear after committing that he would attend the presscon, the Target Darts officials didn?t show any sign of resentment and took the absence in stride. In the process they did their best ? and succeeded admirably ? in projecting the United Kingdom?s most prestigious darts design and manufacturing company and drawing attention to the tie-up with the ?Fighter of the Decade? in a commitment to create the most promising products ever to hit the world darts market. Given pointers by darts legend Rod Harrington, a former No.1 in the world and the 1991 Darts World Masters and World Matchplay champion in 1998 and 1999, ABS-CBN?s well-known reporter Dyan Castillejo who hosts the award-winning weekly show ?Sports Unlimited? hit a bullseye to the delight of Harrington and those watching. Well known boxing and pool emcee and commentator John McDonald who is now deeply involved with Target Darts emceed the show in his usual flamboyant manner. McDonald who is a great fan of Pacquiao and a friend of Ricky ?The Hitman? Hatton as well as former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, hand-carried the beautiful IBO belt which he received from IBO president Ed Levine to personally present to Pacquiao for his second round annihilation of Hatton. McDonald told the Daily Inquirer that he wanted to ?make sure that Manny had his own belt, not one that was given in the ring and maybe taken away. In careers of fighters they get a great deal of things given to them but nothing is more precious than a world title belt. I want to make that special presentation. A little thank you for being involved in darts and doing what he does and I wish him all the best as a congressman. I wish him all the best because it?s a very hard road but I?m sure he?ll be fine.? McDonald revealed what he described as a possible ?serious rematch? not in boxing but in darts. He recalled that when Pacquiao went to Manchester as part of his media tour to promote the Hatton fight they played darts in a pub. He said that Hatton had played darts all his life in a pub owned by his parents and that Pacquiao was ?very disappointed with the loss. So technically Ricky had one over him and I think that was Hatton?s downfall. You should never beat Manny at pool, billiards or darts because he?ll come looking for you in his best sport, boxing.? McDonald recalled that when he visited Pacquiao at the Pan Pacific Hotel ?he was already playing darts. He is fanatical about it, he is a fanatical competitor.? The celebrated sports host said he is ?hoping to set the rematch at the World Championship of Darts in London. We?ll get Hatton there and let?s see who really is the best at darts because we already know who is the best at boxing.? Target Darts International Sales Manager Matt Gilewicz credited McDonald with the idea of approaching Pacquiao and said ? from that moment Manny said ?yes? anf we listened to why he said ?yes? in terms of education and improvement in childrens? math and we were on board,? Gilewicz said that Target is involved because of the relationship between mathematics and darts. He emphasized that Pacquiao is ?a global icon, global superstar but we wouldn?t just endorse a product. We don?t endorse any other products from a certain celebrity. We did it because Pacquiao wants to link this with the education. That was good for us. We understood the concept of it and we understood why Manny was doing it. He is a congressman not just a boxer and that?s why we want to get involved and we are very proud of being involved. ? Gilewicz said a darts rematch between Pacquiao and Hatton ?I reckon is on the cards. Word gets around the world very quickly when you are working with Manny Pacquiao. We make the best darts in the world and a colleague of Hatton contacted me about three weeks ago and we?ll challenge him to another game of darts. Very jovial and my answer to that was Ricky you?ve beaten Manny at darts but I?m sure he knocked you down in the first and knocked you out in the second round. I don?t think he needs to play you again and he didn?t ring back.? Gilewicz made it clear that the Manny Pacquiao range ?is not a commercial product for us because it improves kid?s education. Its a first for us and we are trying to see how it works. We believe in it and I was a little amazed that a boxing legend like Manny Pacquiao would think along those lines. I was dumbstruck but as a congressman he does think along those lines . I?ll support that and I?ll work very hard and Target works very hard to make sure that we produce the best products for the Philippines, not for the world. The price of the products are based for the Filipino people. If the rest of the world buy it, great. But we launched it here in the Philippines because it is for the Filipino children.? Pointing out that darts is ?huge in Asia? and while you can buy a set of darts in Japan for the equivalent of almost P70,000. He said ?the target for us with the Filipino products of the Manny Pacquiao range was not about pricing. It is to make it affordable to many Filipinos as we can. We charge with our top of the range darts anywhere between the equivalent of almost P6,200 to P7,000. That?s still relatively cheap. We?re regarded as making the best products in the business but we don?t charge people just for the sake of it. With Manny its all about making the product as affordable as possible for as many people to buy.? Gilewicz who travels extensively around the world because Target supplies some 90 countries said ?by far the nicest country I?ve come back to is the Philippines. The generosity of these people is unbelievable. Boy came to the world championships last year and I looked after him. I loved every minute of it. He?s a great guy and I love having these Filipinos over there. I can?t wait to come back to the Philippines and to hear that this has been a success and has made a difference in children?s lives.? Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.  |
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