MANILA, Philippines ? Boxing continued to dominate the year about to pass.
As usual, Manny Pacquiao?s gifted fists, as in years past, provided sports pages its bread and butter. He fought twice and won twice, extending a win streak that has defied the ages. But it?s not Pacquiao alone making the boxing headlines.
There?s Nonito Donaire who knocked his opponent out with a blow that shook his rival and the boxing world. And then there was Brian Viloria, a Fil-American, who gave the country?s its third world boxing champion.
But besides boxing and Pacquiao, other news, the good, as well as the bad, were in abundance in 2011.
Other top stories of the year include golf ?s bad boy Juvic Pagunsan winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit, Talk ?N Text?s foiled grand slam bid, Ateneo?s four-peat, Dennis Orcollo being ranked top billiards player in the world, the dragon boat team?s world title win, the exhibition games of NBA stars led by Kobe Bryant, the friendly football game against David Beckham and his LA Galaxy squad and the embarrassing debacle in the Indonesia Southeast Asian Games.
Manny Pacquiao?s two successful fights
Manny Pacquiao struggled to give his fans what they craved for but the Filipino icon still succeeded in maintaining his winning ways, overwhelming American Shane Mosley in May and getting past Mexican nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez in November.
Both fights were held at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, where Pacquiao had scored many of his biggest victories but he had to settle for decisions: a lopsided verdict opposite Mosley and a controversial majority result versus Marquez.
Pacquiao appeared headed towards a sensational stoppage win against Mosley after he sent the American puncher down with his trademark left straight.
But after tasting the fury of Pacquiao?s punches, Mosley suddenly became gun-shy and opted to finish on his feet by running all night.
Pacquiao found Marquez a tougher nut to crack as he had to rally in the last two rounds to preserve his mastery over the aging but skillful opponent.
Marquez cried robbery after the official decision was announced but punch stats showed that Pacquiao, who was the aggressor all night long, threw and landed more blows.
Nonito Donaire retains world title
Nonito Donaire started the year with a big bang but wound up a dud. Donaire, who grew up in San Leandro, California, scored one of boxing?s scariest knockouts by nearly chopping the head off Mexican gunner Fernando Montiel in February, leaving his shell-shocked foe looking and acting as though he was reenacting a scene from some horror movie.
The victory awarded Donaire Montiel?s twin world bantamweight titles ? WBC and WBO ? and the universal recognition as the world?s premier fighter in the said weight class.
But what mattered most was Donaire? inclusion on the pound-forpound list.
After patching things up with Bob Arum?s Top Rank in the middle of the year, Donaire returned to action in the third week of October at New York?s famed Madison Square Garden against Argentine Omar Narvaez.
Expected to cut Narvaez to shreds, Donaire was unable to repeat his showing against Montiel as the South American suddenly became defensiveminded, more concerned with finishing the fight on his feet than throwing punches.
Brian Viloria retains world titles
Best remembered for his onepunch knockout wins over Mexicans Eric Ortiz and Ulises Solis, Hawaii-born Brian Viloria had a breakout year, becoming a two-time world champion in July and making a successful defense in December against a rival many had expected would batter him into bits.
Viloria crowned himself as WBO flyweight king by out pointing Julio Cesar Miranda of Mexico at the Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, then retained it against pound-for-pound entrant Giovani Segura before a highly-appreciative crowd at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Segura had come into the bout with sparkling credentials and a nasty reputation for mauling his opponents.
But Segura found a classy foe in Viloria, who put on a punching clinic en route to an eighth-round TKO that left Segura with a massive lump on the right side of his head.
The beating Viloria administered was so serious that Segura had to spend a few days in a hospital before being allowed to be discharged.
Talk ?N Text wins two PBA titles; Petron thwarts grand slam
Talk ?N Text came close to completing a ?grand slam? feat in the previous 36th PBA Season that was only achieved four times by three franchises in league history. Petron Blaze foiled that bid.
With a powerhouse unit that includes Jimmy Alapag, Kelly Williams, Jason Castro, Ranidel de Ocampo, Ryan Reyes, Jared Dillinger, Ali Peek, Harvey Carey and Larry Fonacier, Talk ?N Text bagged the first two championships, the Philippine Cup and Commissioner?s Cup.
In the Finals of both conferences versus San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra, respectively, the Tropang Texters ? mentored by Chot Reyes ? won the best-of-seven series in six games. That was the team?s third and fourth titles in franchise history.
However, in the Governors? Cup, TNT was denied a third straight championship, and a place in PBA record books ? a ?grand slam? crown.
Instead, it was Petron (formerly SMB) of then rookie coach Ato Agustin which captured the title as the injury-plagued ball club, led by Arwind Santos and import Anthony Grundy, stunned the heavily-favored TNT in the Finals with a Game 7 victory. It was the team?s 19 PBA title.
