GRAPEVINE, Texas (via Pera Padala) - Like heavyweight great Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquiao?s fights since he rose to prominence a decade ago drew the best and finest in the sportswriting fraternity.
Sports scribes covering the current fight of the pound-for-pound king against Mexican Antonio Margarito, in fact, could well be described as a gathering of sportswriting giants.
A visit daily at the Top Rank press center located at one of the function rooms of the Gaylord Texan Resort Hotel Convention Center can afford one of a chance to rub elbows with the likes of veteran boxing writer Michael Marley of Examiner.Com, Bill Dwyre and Lance Pugmire of Los Angeles, Dan Rafael and Keiran Mulvaney of ESPN.com, boxing historian Bert Randolph Sugar, coverage teams of Associated Press and Reuters and Kevin Iole of Yahoo.com, among others.
Also occupying their places at the press center are Filipino reporters Roy Luarca of Philippine Inquirer, Abac Cordero of Philippine Star, Nick Giongco of Manila Bulletin, Gerry Ramos of the Journal Group, Virgie Romano of Abante, Vancouver, Canada-based Rey Fortaleza, Robbie Pangilinan of the Manila Times and Alex Vidal of San Diego in California.
Representing the Philippine broadcast media are Dyan Castillejo of ABS-CBN, Ruth Cabal and Chino Trinidad of GMA-7 and Chiqui Roa of TV5
Meanwhile, a survey conducted by USA Today and Bleacher Report among 20 boxing writers as to who they pick to win the Pacquiapo-Margarito duel for the World Boxing Council super-welterweight crown had the Filipino ring icon the unanimous choice.
Fourteen of those polled believed the reigning World Boxing Organization welterweight kingpin will win by stoppage. They are Iole (KO 9), Pugmire (KO 5), Mike Rosenthal of ringtv.com (kO 8), Tim Smith of New York Daily News (ATKO 10), Bob Velin of USA Today (TKO 11),
Dustin Davies of ThaSportskRib (TKO 6), Brian Ethridge (tko 8), Nick Tywalk of BoxingWatchers.com (TKO mid-rounds), Kenneth Ragpala (KO late rounds), Dave Carlson (TKO 10-12), Leo Reyes (KO inside 9), Bill Cody (KO under 10) and Tyler Curtis (KO late rounds).
This writer sees the ?Pacman? winning by KO within 8.
Only six chose their colleague (Pacquiao writes a regular column at Abante who had just been admitted as member of the Sports Communicators Orgxanization of the Philippines) to emerge triumphant via decision.
They are Iole, Mulvaney, Rafael, Lem Satterfield of Fanhouse, Douglas Batista and Bill Jackson.
Philippine Basketball Legends in Dallas
Dallas, Texas - Basketball fans in Dallas will have the rare chance of seeing several members of the PBA Legends in a benefit game titled Larong Maginoo Saturday at the Forney Sports Center here.
PBA Legends in the person of former Most Valuable Player Kenneth Duremdez, Bong 'Mr. Excitement' Alvarez, Manny Victorino and Peter Aguilar will see action in the one-day event.
Game time is 8 a.m.
Rounding out the team are 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games silver medalist Manwueto ?Onyok? Velasco, Manny Pacquiao?s brother Bobby and members of the Manny Pacquiao team, headed by Django Rivera and Cris Bade.
The Legends will be playing a local selection composed of Dallas-based Filipinos and their American counterparts.
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