Manila: Millions of people across the Philippines, including the president, on Sunday celebrated boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao’s victory over Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas.
President Gloria Arroyo took a break from an official visit in Egypt to receive news of Pacquiao’s victory, her spokesman Cerge Remonde said from Cairo.
“President Gloria Arroyo joins the entire nation in gratitude of God for the spectacular victory of our Manny Pacquiao,” Remonde said. “Manny Pacquiao showed the world the best in the Filipino.”
Pacquiao finished off Hatton in the second round with a powerful left punch to the head that put Hatton flat on his back.
“We found it incredulous that it was that fast,” Remonde said. “We were really ecstatic. There was whooping in the delegation,” he added.
At least 10,000 people watched a free airing of the fight in Pacquiao’s home town of General Santos city, while hundreds of people flocked a cafe in Manila that offered live airing of the fight.
