LAS VEGAS ? The morning of the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, a Catholic Mass was celebrated by Palawan priest Fr. Marlon Beof of the Augustinian Recollect Friars from the Tagaste Monastery in Suffern, New York, last Saturday.
Fr. Beof accidentally met Pacquiao in the airport after his first win over Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003 and has since been invited to say the Mass the morning of his fights.
The Mass began at about 9:45 a.m. Pacquiao and wife Jinkee were seated on a sofa of their two-bedroom 61st floor suite at The Hotel in the Mandalay Resort and Casino.
Fr. Beof ran out of hosts for Holy Communion, not expecting the huge turnout. It was the largest attendance for the traditional Mass ever.
Among those in the crowd were Rep. Hermilando Mandanas, Rep. Monico Puentevella, Rep. Annie Susano, Bacolod City Mayor Bing Leonardia who recited the First Reading, former Rizal Gov. Ito and Nini Ynares, Rey Golingan, Malaca?ang deputy spokesman Tonypet Albano, Annabelle Rama, Sonny and Pin Antonio of Salon de Manila and Solar bosses Wilson and William Tieng and Peter Chanliong, No Fear?s Tommy Ong, Fermin and Boots Aniel with their sons Jason and Alex, Bernard Cloma, Eric and Macy Pineda, Aida Tieng, fighter Diosdado Gabi and wife Joy, fighter Ernel Fontanilla and wife Hyacinth Antig and former world minimumweight champion Manny Melchor and wife Nicole.
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Melchor, who turned 39 last Friday, fought for 14 years and retired in 2002 after losing to Gabriel Elizondo on a knockout in San Antonio. He held the IBF 105-pound belt for three months in 1992, beating Fahlan Sakreerin on points to wrest the crown and yielding it to Ratanapol Sor Vorapin in his first defense.
Melchor had two attempts to win a second world title but was thwarted by Ricardo Lopez in 1993 and Jose Antonio Aguirre in 2001. His pro record was 38-35-6, with only six KOs.
Melchor now works as a trainer at the City Boxing Gym in San Diego. A close friend who used to train in the gym is Fil-American ultimate fighting heavyweight contender Brandon Vera.
Melchor said his first wife and five children still live in the Philippines. He divorced his first American wife and is now with his second.
Since fighting Aguirre in Tijuana seven years ago, Melchor has stayed in the US.
Before Pacquiao faced Marquez, Melchor offered some advice.
?I fought Lopez whose style resembles Marquez? because their trainer is the same, Nacho Beristain,? said Melchor. ?Marquez is an excellent boxer so Manny has to stay close to him so he doesn?t get the space to fight from a distance. Marquez will try to dictate the tempo of the fight with his jab.?
Melchor and his new wife intend to visit the Philippines this year.
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Golden Boy matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz said the other day he has found the fighter who will follow in Pacquiao?s footsteps to become the next exciting Filipino world champion.
?More than anybody else, I think the next Filipino world champion is A. J. Banal,? said Lewkowicz. ?I know there are so many Filipino boxing talents out there but from the ones I?ve seen, Banal has the most potential to make it.?
Postscript: Jinkee?s identical twin sister Janet was escorted to the fight by a Filipino-Mexican mestizo Joaquin Hagedorn Jr. whose father was a La Salle graduate in Manila. Hagedorn works in a restaurant at the New York New York Hotel and Casino here ? Former world superlightweight champion Morris East attended last Friday?s weigh-in with Allan Visayas who used to fight in Marty Elorde?s stable ? Watching the fight were showbiz pairs Rudy Fernandez and Lorna Tolentino and Eddie Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama.
