Where were you when Manny Pacquiao fought Erik Morales in Las Vegas last Sunday morning (Manila time)?
Solar Entertainment set up a private live viewing on a big screen?reportedly measuring 10 feet by 12 feet?at the Palm Beach Restaurant in the Fort, Global City. Solar?s sports marketing director Rico Arce phoned to invite me early Sunday morning but I?d already asked my in-laws to watch the fight on TV at home. Could I call from time to time for updates? Of course, Rico replied.
Among the guests at Palm Beach were Secretary Dick Gordon, Rep. Butz Aquino, Rep. Mikey Arroyo, Manny Pangilinan, Ricky Vargas, Henry Sy, Robi and Chiqui Roa, Jude Turcuato, Bobby Garcia, Bobong Velez and Justice Amading Valdez. Hosts were Solar top brass William and Wilson Tieng and Peter Chanliong.
PLDT was a primary fight sponsor and its logo was prominently emblazoned on the MGM Grand Garden Arena ring canvas?a first for a Filipino firm. It?s a source of Filipino pride that a local institution is undisputedly world-class and a major player in the international communications industry.
Referee Ferdie Estrella watched it live at a bar on Jupiter street in Makati.
A crowd of about 800 viewed a wide screen on the ground floor of Spencer?s Cafe at the three-storey Savers Mall in Balibago, Pampanga. Angeles Cable TV Network (ACTN) owner Dennis Uy also arranged a live feed at the Holiday Inn in the city.
ACTN cable subscribers paid a P200 fee for the live transmission straight into their home TV sets on a pay-per-view basis.
Channel 67 in the Angeles City TV band was opened to receive the feed. There were at least eight other similar pay-per-view offers in provinces around the country.
Lawyer Rudy Salud, wife Pampin and assistant George Alcantara left Manila early morning to catch the telecast on the second floor of Spencer?s Cafe where they were Secretary and former Mayor Ed Pamintuan?s guests. Rendezvousing with Salud were Makati Vice Mayor Nestor Mercado, Col. Marieto Valerio, Lito Orillaza, boxing scholar Hermie Rivera, Inquirer columnist Al Mendoza and wife Sol, broadcaster Ed Picson and IBC-13 newscaster Dennis Prinsipe.
“We?ll have an exclusive room with an LCD wide screen plasma,” said Secretary Pamintuan in his text invitation to Salud. “Good for a number of your guests and friends. Food for lunch and merienda?sitsaron tilapia, llempo, burung isda and hipon, deep fried wild duck and local birds, kare-kare, spare ribs. Spirits for all.”
Referee Bruce McTavish, Al and Sonny Lopez were on the Angeles City telecast to open the show.
Also at Spencer?s Caf? were Shell basketball coach Leo Austria, assistant Dayong Mendoza, import Wesley Wilson and cagers Adonis Sta. Maria and Ronald Tubid.
As for me, I watched at home with my wife, daughter and in-laws.
I got updates on what was going on in Las Vegas from Rico at Palm Beach, Solar production head Erick Tam at the Antipolo office, Hermie from Balibago and ABS-CBN?s Dyan Castillejo-Garcia with sister Nina and her husband Steve Thiras at ringside via Smart text.
Here were some of Steve?s texts during the fight: “Manny cut over right eye. Tough fight.” “Waiting for decision. Brutal fight.” “There was a bad head butt early and Manny bled a lot the whole fight. Blood everywhere.” Steve and Nina flew in from Los Angeles where they live to watch the fight in Las Vegas.
From Dyan who covered the bout for ABS-CBN News and her show “Sports Unlimited”: “People say it was a good fight but Morales played intelligent. Manny still applauded. He fought like a warrior. He said he tried his best and hopes people enjoyed.” “Manny told me over and over if not for fighting blind in one eye, he could have beaten the guy.”
The first text of the decision to reach me came from Erick. Then Hermie phoned, describing Morales? showing as “masterful.”
A funny text got through from a music fan eagerly waiting to watch the Cascades concerts here next month. The message was: “Pacquiao na Punch and Judy ni Morales? There?s a reason. Hindi siya Lucky Guy kaya sabi nya ?Was I Dreamin??? Better yet, it?s his first alone. Vegas? You need luck.”
Former world junior lightweight champion Rene Barrientos sent this message from Cagayan de Oro: “Ang tingin ko over-practice si Manny. Second round pa lang hingal na siya. Sobra ang paniguro. Hindi ko gusto ang ginawa nilang pag-bugbog sa tiyan ni Manny. Namaga ang loob. Gago ang trainer na ?yon.”
Sports fan Herman Jugo texted: “Walang power ang blows ni Manny. Malakas at matigas si Morales. Manny would?ve knocked out Morales after the 12th round if it was scheduled for 15. Manny should remain in the featherweight class for the meantime and move up only if 15 rounds again for world title fights.”
Mixed martial arts practitioner Del Bacho said: “Just want to share that on the Fight Night 2 Video Game on playstation 2, Manny still had a hard time beating Morales when I simulated it dozens of times. The only way I could make Manny win was when I destroyed Erik?s body which wasn?t easy to do even in a video game.”
From boxing writer Virgie Romano: “It was not the gloves, the eye checkup or the cut. Manny lost to a more brilliant fighter.”
