I WENT to many places this week. And from many people I met, I got the same question: What is your prediction, Pacquiao or Morales?
And they all got the same answer: Pacquiao.
Why Pacquiao?
And I said, “Because he is simply the stronger puncher than Morales.”
Among others, I told that to two town mayors only last Tuesday and Wednesday (March 15 and March 16, respectively) — Mayor Ponsing V. Soriano of Malasiqui, Pangasinan, and Mayor Jolly Resuello of San Carlos City, Pangasinan.
I almost told that also to Prof. Nick Melecio, a long lost relative from Dagupan City. And to lawyer Boy Solis, the long lost cousin of Nino Castrence.
But they were too busy doing business at the provincial capitol of Pangasinan that we never talked seriously about boxing.
“Oh, my cousin, Nino,” said Boy Solis to me. “He found his pot of gold in Cagayan de Oro City, where he now lives like a king.”
Boy and Nino both hail from Bolinao, Pangasinan, that seaside paradise not far from the Hundred Islands of Alaminos, Pangasinan.
Incidentally, Attorney Solis and Professor Nick M are the main men of Governor Agbayani of Pangasinan in the project to make my home province a model of solid waste management.
Oh, yes, also Dr. Guido Tiong, the city information officer of Mayor Resuello. Like Nick and Boy, the Doc and San Carlos City administrator Rudy Mandapat are also pushing for his city to adopt a clean and green program based on managing the city’s solid wastes, beginning at the public market.
“I am all out in this project to make the city clean insofar as solid waste management is concerned,” said Mayor Resuello, whose own son, the good-looking Ayoy, is his vice mayor.
Surprised that I’m suddenly talking about solid waste management?
If you haven’t known about it yet, well, I’ve become a solid waste management convert. Mine, though, has gone one step further: I’m also into vermi-composting, a necessary component of solid waste management.
Hey, Batchoy (Henares) and Ramon (Uy), look what you’ve done.
Even chicks king Rob Dix has also embraced the beauty of your dream: Organic farming through vermi-composting. So with Julian Apostol, the Comelec chief of my hometown; he also now wants to go into it.
But lest I stray further from today’s topic, which is boxing, let’s leave it at that-for now.
“What would be the main key to a Pacquiao victory?” asked Pareng Julian, a boxing buff for nearly 40 years now.
“His punching power,” I said. “In his last eight fights, Pacquiao scored seven knockouts. The only survivor was Juan Manuel Marquez, who bucked three knockdowns in the first round last May to salvage a controversial split draw.”
“But Morales is also a knockout artist,” Pareng Julian said. “His record is amazing.”
He is right. Morales is 47-2, with 38 KOs.
But then, Morales’ only two defeats-on points-had been inflicted by Marco Antonio Barrera. And you will note that Barrera was knocked out in the 11th round by Pacquiao in November 2003.
Psychologically, therefore, Pacquiao has a big edge. His KO victory over Barrera will surely be a mental baggage for Morales on fight day, Sunday, March 20.
“OK, then, let’s go for Pacquiao, not because he is our countryman but because he has the better credentials than Morales,” said Pareng Julian, whose youngest son, Alexis, was named after the boxing legend, Alexis Arguello.
If Morales would not fall within five rounds, Pacquiao could be in trouble.
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FASTBREAK. Incidentally, Alexis Apostol will graduate on Sunday at the University of Baguio, the great institution in the Pines City owned by the family of Des and Auring Bautista. My salute to you, inaanak! …Rudy Salud, the former PBA Commissioner who was the founding secretary general of the World Boxing Council when he was only 24 years old, will motor to Angeles City on Sunday to watch the Pacquiao-Morales fight at the residence of former Angeles City Mayor Ed Pamintuan. Pareng Rudy said to me yesterday: “Thank you, pare, for writing about the pay-per-view in Pampanga. I am not flying to Las Vegas anymore and instead, I’ll watch the fight in Pampanga. But I will be represented there by my son, Chito.” The revolutionary pay-per-view scheme, a first in the country, can be had for only P200, through Dennis Anthony Uy’s ACCTN, Channel 67. Call 045-3235215 or 045-8928890 for more details.
