LAS VEGAS: A priest and several nuns in a monastery on Friday woke up at 2:30 a.m. to join Manny Pacquiao in praying the rosary.
Nothing odd about the time of prayer, because the Recollect priest and nuns were in Spain while Pacquiao—their friend—was thousands of miles away inside his hotel room at the MGM Grand here, praying with his supporters 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 against Mexican Erik Morales.
Pacquiao appeared focused for the super featherweight bout with “El Terrible” despite attempts by several individuals to sow intrigue and strife within his inner circle of friends and supporters.
Going up in weight from the usual 126-pound ceiling of featherweights, Pacquiao appeared bigger despite coming in at 129 1-2 pounds and wearing black short pants, while Morales had to strip bare naked to meet the 130-pound division limit.
Pacquiao, who battles the former three-time, three-division champion Morales at 8 p.m. Pacific Time Saturday (noon Sunday in Manila) at the sold-out MGM Grand Garden Arena, will be backed by millions of fellow Filipinos and fans 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 after almost two months of serious training.
Pacquiao said he hoped that other people would join him in prayer so he can give more honor and glory to his country, fellow men and God when he fights Morales, who sports a record of 47 wins, 34 by knockout, and just 2 defeats.
On Saturday Pacquiao will lead his team in prayer at 3 p.m. (Pacific Time), 5 hours before the fight, and he hopes that other supporters 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 suite that every punch he will deliver to Morales will carry the whole weight of 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 the trainer Freddie Roach designed for Pacquiao. Roach also joined the prayer session along with Mayor Pedro Acharon of General Santos City.
Pacquiao feasted on beef broth and rice, oranges, two slices of bread, hot milk and a banana. He will eat again at 8 a.m. and at 2 p.m. to load up on power.
The business manager Rod Nazario “stole” a banana from the table, and the Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez said, “Hoy, para sa boxer iyan [Hey, that’s for the boxer].”
Nazario then gave part of the peeling to Fernandez.
“His body is ripped,” said Pacquiao’s conditioning coach Justin Fortune, marveling at the finely sculptured musculature of the Filipino’s torso and abdominal muscles when he flexed them before a huge crowd of well-wishers and diehard 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 2 inches in height and 5 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, or about P2,430). 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.
The lawyer Jose Miguel Arroyo dropped by at noon to personally relay the message of his wife, President 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 lawmakers.
Mayor Lito Atienza of Manila, a close friend and supporter of Pacquiao, 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 favor Pacquiao. On Thursday it was minus-140, which meant that a $140 wager on Pacquiao would only win $100.
On Friday Pacquiao was installed as an 8-5 favorite, despite Morales’ advantage in height and reach. Morales was the super featherweight champion until Marco Antonio Barrera took his World Boxing Council belt in 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 against a fellow Filipino, Glenn Donaire. Their eight-round super flyweight battle will start hostilities at 4 p.m. when the gates open at the MGM Grand.
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 World Boxing Association 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 “Travieso” Arce, billed as a WBC flyweight eliminator.
