WOW PACQUIAO!
By Jason Aniel
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 04 Jul 2008
Las Vegas, NV?The morning of June 28, 2008, for Manny Pacquiao began at 9am on the 61st floor of THEhotel, the second tower at Mandalay Bay, where about 60 fans crammed the Manny Pacquiao?s suite to attend the pre-fight mass. Pacquiao scheduled the mass one hour earlier than usual because Pacquiao wanted the extra rest. After mass, Pacquiao immediately went to his bedroom and entertained and handed out the last of the tickets to his invited guests.
At about noon, Pacquiao took a nap for about two hours before his final pre-fight meal. Pacquiao ate chicken adobo, chicken tinola, and rice. Pacquiao then killed time by playing the guitar and waited for his trainer Freddie Roach to accompany him on his pre-fight walk. Before every fight Pacquiao takes a walk outside and around the Mandalay Bay. He does this to loosen his muscles and build a light sweat before his fight. The walk took place at about 3pm and the temperature at the time was well over 100 degrees. Let?s just say that Manny and those who walked with him were not too keen in spending any extended period of time outside!
At around 6pm, Pacquiao and his team departed their suite and headed towards the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. A stretch limo was waiting for them outside THEhotel lobby, which drove Team Pacquiao to the backstage service entrance area into the arena.
The crowd inside the arena was a Pacquiao crowd. Although David Diaz is of Mexican descent, he was raised as a Chicago native and the Mexicans did not flock to Vegas to support Diaz unlike the support Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Juan Manuel Marquez received. That could have been a factor in why this was the lowest attended Las Vegas Manny Pacquiao fight ever because Pacquiao?s fans came to support their idol!
Many sports stars were in attendance to watch Pacquiao?s fight. On the boxing front, Mike Tyson, Shane Mosley, Julio Cesar Chavez, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Andre Berto watched the fight live. Several NBA stars were attendance as well like many of the Boston Celtics (including the big three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen), Richard Jefferson, and Luke Walton.
Immediately after Pacquiao?s post fight interviews with HBO and the Top Rank international broadcast team, Manny was informed that the Celtics players were waiting for him in his locker room to congratulate him. When Pacquiao learned of this, he rushed out of the ring back to the locker room to meet them. Question is whether he was more excited about being a four time champion or getting the chance to meet Kevin Garnett?
During the post fight press conference, Promoter Bob Arum indicated that WBA 130lbs titlist, Edwin Valero, is the leading candidate to fight Pacquiao later in the Fall. Valero is a product of the ?YouTube? phenomenon as his popularity within the boxing community really skyrocket when many of his first round knockouts were posted on the famed internet website. Also, Valero has made many public statements that he wants to fight Pacquiao. After Marco Antonio Barrera lost his chance at revenge over Pacquiao, he claimed that it was his friend, Edwin Valero, who would be the man to stop the Pac-Man express. Manny has envisioned a fight with Valero since early 2008 and he welcomes the challenge from the KO Artist.
After the press conference, Pacquiao spent an hour back in his hotel room with several friends, who were waiting to congratulate the new champion. Manny then proceeded to the 64th floor of THEhotel, where Club Mix is located. Club Mix hosted the official Pacquiao After Party and reserved a private VIP lounge above the main bar which overlooked the entire Vegas strip for Team Pacquiao. Politicos, friends, and boxers like Shane Mosley and Andre Berto partied with Pacquiao until 2am.
The next day, over 100 people tried to cram Manny?s suite during the thanksgiving mass to celebrate Pacquiao?s victory. Unfortunately, Pacquiao injured his right hand and could not autograph any memorabilia to the hundred fans waiting.
Pacquiao is scheduled to return to the Philippines July 4. Expect a huge welcoming for the 4 division champion. His fight with Diaz was probably his most devastating and dominate performance of his career. Many compare his performance to when Floyd Mayweather thrashed Arturo Gatti over six round three years ago. However, Gatti was forced to retire in his corner from an accumulation of punches. Pacquiao not only consistently battered Diaz, he scored a spectacular one-punch knockout in the ninth round.
But if you ask Pacquiao, he?ll say that his 11th rounds stoppage of Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003 still ranks his best performance in his career.
SOTO KOs OPPONENT BUT LOSES!
In one of the biggest travesties in recent sports history, Humberto Soto had his opponent Francisco Lorenzo on his knees ready to give up. However, an inadvertent and glancing blow (even in real time speed), combined with Lorenzo?s legitimate pain and that he was not going to continue (but not because of Soto?s late hit) resulted in Soto being named the loser and Lorenzo and those who bet Lorenzo at +600 the winners.
Never in my life have I seen a fighter quit and still win the fight.
The amazing aspect to this controversy was the explanation the head of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Keith Kizer made to HBO. Kizer explained that the doctors determined that Lorenzo could not continue because of Soto?s ?devastating? punch to the back of the head while he was down and not of the busted nose and the cut Lorenzo received by legal blows. However, immediately after referee Joe Cortez called time and the doctor looked at Lorenzo, the audio picked up the doctor explained that Lorenzo had a busted up nose and a cut and that he couldn?t continue.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Jason Aniel.
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