LAS VEGAS?A priest and several nuns in a monastery woke up at 2:30 a.m. yesterday to join Manny Pacquiao in praying the rosary.
Nothing odd about the time of prayer, because the Recolletos priest and nuns were in Spain while Pacquiao was thousands of miles away tucked inside his hotel room at the MGM Grand here, praying together with friends at 5:30 p.m. after easily hurdling the weigh-in.
The time difference did not matter. Several other friends from other places?in Los Angeles, New York and the Philippines among others–were also doing the same, supporting their hero in his most important fight to date.
Pacquiao appeared focused for the super-featherweight bout despite attempts from several individuals to sow intrigue and strife among the inner circle of friends and supporters including the new management team formed by Pacquiao himself as well as trainer Freddie Roach.
Pacquiao, who battles the former three-time, three-division champion Erik Morales at 8 p.m. (Pacific Time) Saturday (12 noon, Sunday in Manila) at the sold-out MGM Grand Garden Arena, will be backed by millions of fellow Filipinos, fans and God-fearing followers of Christ around the world cheering, praying and hoping for a grand victory.
For five straight days now, Pacquiao?s other secret weapon and source of strength is his fervent faith in God and the almost two months of serious training.
Pacquiao hoped that other people join him in prayer so that he can give more honor and glory to his country, fellowmen and God when he fights ?El Terrible? Morales, 47-2 (34 KOs.)
On Saturday, Pacquiao will lead his team in prayer at 3 p.m. (Pacific Time), five hours before the fight and he hopes that others follow suit wherever they are.
Feeling happy and stronger after eating his first full meal since Thursday night, Pacquiao promised some 20 other people gathered in prayer in his simple suite, that every punch he will deliver to Morales will carry the whole weight of a nation and the Filipino people.
?This is all for you,? said Pacquiao, demonstrating a four-punch combination in one second. It was ?Manila Ice,? the secret punch combo that trainer Freddie Roach designed for Pacquiao. Roach also joined the prayer session, along with General Santos City mayor Pedro Acharon.
Going up in weight from the usual 126 pounds ceiling of featherweights, Pacquiao appeared bigger despite coming in at 129 ? pounds and wearing a black short pants while Morales had to strip bare naked to meet the 130 limit.
He feasted on beef broth and rice, oranges, two slices of bread, hot milk and banana. He will once again eat at 8 a.m. and at 2 p.m. to load up on power. Business manager Rod Nazario also “stole” a banana from the table, and Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez said, “Hoy, para sa boxer iyan.” Nazario then gave part of the peeling to Fernandez.
?His body is ripping,? said Justin Fortune, Pacquiao?s conditioning coach, marveling at the finely sculptured musculature of the Filipino?s torso and abdominals when he flexed them before a huge crowd of well-wishers and die-hard Pacman fans.
Pacquiao’s blood pressure was also perfect, registering at 105/62.
This early, it will be a war of galleries as hundred of Pacquiao fans coming from all over America, trooped to the MGM Grand Arena and matched or even outnumbered the Latinos present. The gallery erupted with chants of Manny!, Manny!, even as Mexicans booed.
Despite giving away two inches in height and five inches in reach, the younger Pacquiao, 26, will derive speed and power from his bigger neck, chest, biceps, forearms, wrist, thighs and calf. He is also perceived as the ?fresher? fighter since Morales, 28, has fought in some of the big pay-per-view wars in the past.
For the first time in Philippine sports history, Pacquiao?s fight will be shown on pay-per-view ($44.95 plus tax). No other boxer from Asia has achieved that feat. His fight is also expected to stop all movement in the Philippines, all 80 million strong.
First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo dropped by at noon to personally relay the message of the Philippine president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, saying that a victory by Pacquiao will galvanize a nation still looking for a unifying force.
Mr. Arroyo came in with a huge group including his brother-congressman Ignacio and other congressmen.
Close friend and supporter Manila Mayor Lito Atienza also arrived in the afternoon and led Team Pacquiao, walking and driving in secret mazes and backdoors en route to the weigh-in.
Previously, Jeff Lacy, the light heavyweight champion, visited him and wished him well. Both boxers expressed mutual admiration for each other and hoped to talk more after the fight.
Meanwhile, the odds continued to go up favoring Pacquiao. Thursday, it was ?140, which meant that a $140 wager on Pacquiao would only win $100. Friday, Pacquiao was installed as an 8-5 favorite, despite Morales? advantage in height and reach. Morales was also the super-featherweight champion until Marco Antonio Barrera took his WBC belt last November.
In other developments, Z Gorres of Cebu will finally get a chance to show his wares in American soil (after four changes of opponents) but he has to go up in a silly match against a fellow Filipino, Glenn Donaire. Their eight-round super-flyweight battle will start hostilities at 4 p.m. when the gates open.
Heavyweights Travis Fulton and Albert Sosnowski (35-1, 21 KOs) will follow next. Hilario Lopez will test unbeaten Mike Alvarado (7-0, 7 KOs) in a super-lightweight fight while Puerto Rican Eric Morel will vie for the WBA super flyweight title opposite Martin Castillo of Mexico.
Journeyman Ryan Maraldo will face unbeaten Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (16-0, 11 KOs), son of the Mexican legend, who was present to guide his son during the weigh-in.
In the main supporting bout, Australian Hussein Hussein will take on Mexican ace Jorge ?Travesio? Arce, billed as a WBC flyweight eliminator.
