ONE can’t really stress enough how important tomorrow’s fight is to Manny Pacquiao and the entire Filipino nation. For one, Pacquiao came from back-to-back losses in 2012 and badly needs a rebound win.
Altough the Timothy Bradley split decision setback in June was questionable, the knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in December was a big blow to Pacquiao and the pride of the Filipino people.
Also, the Philippines suffered a series of calamities — both natural and man-made — in the past few months and is in need of a hero to lift its spirit up.
The Filipinos — especially those in Zamboanga, Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Samar, Iloilo and Bicol — would long for a Pacquiao victory in Macau.
More than anything, a win over the younger and taller Brandon Rios would give Pinoys from all over the world something to cheer for. It would give people in the hardest hit places in the country hope.
Hope that — like the hero Pacquiao — they, too, can rise up from the ashes and reclaim their lives. Of all the people in Macau right now, Pacquiao knows this best.
He has prepared for 10 weeks for this fight, the longest training camp he has ever had in the Freddie Roach era. According to Roach, the Hall of Famer trainer of Pacquiao, tomorrow’s fight will be short.
It will end in six, maybe four rounds, he said. According to Pacquiao, himself, tomorrow’s bout will be shorter. Two rounds, he said. True, “two rounds” is too bold for a boxer who just came out of two setbacks.
But Pacquiao is not a two-bit prizefighter out to claim his two minutes of fame in Macau. He knows what he is doing and he knows what needs to be done. And that is not only to win over Rios but to win with conviction.
This fight, after all, is for all those who lost their homes, their way of living, their friends, and family members in the Philippines.
But it is not the typhoon and earthquake victims that draw strength from Pacquiao.
More likely, it is Pacquiao who draws more strength from his suffering countrymen. A kind-hearted and god-fearing man like Pacquiao knows the importance of tomorrow’s match.
It is not just a fight for the vacant World Boxing Organization International welterweight crown. It is a fight for aspiration, optimism and most of all, hope.
I know a lot of basketball fans are confused and bewildered on the new television timeslot of the Philippine Basketball Association.
No problem if you are watching the game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Cuneta Astrodome or the Mall of Asia Arena. You get to see your favorite games on time. But for TV viewers nationwide, it’s a bit complicated.
The PBA airs live on TV5 every Wednesday and Friday at 8 p.m., with a delayed telecast of the first game at 11 p.m. TV5 airs the first game live on Saturdays starting at 3:30 p.m., while the second game is aired live on AksyonTV at 5:30 p.m.
Games, however, will be aired live on TV5 on Sundays beginning at 3 p.m. The PBA games also have a live simulcast on AksyonTV, starting at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays, 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays.
Radio listeners nationwide, meanwhile, can also follow the PBA play-by-play action on DZSR Sports Radio 918AM. I hope that clears the air for PBA fans.
Speaking of TV coverages, the Pacquiao-Rios fight tomorrow will be aired on GMA 7 starting at 11 a.m. It will be shown right after the “Ang Bagong Hamon: Pacquiao-Rios Primer.”
There will also be live blow-by-blow updates starting at 9 a.m. at dzBB 594, the flagship AM station of GMA and all RGMA stations nationwide.
So, if you don’t have access to pay-per-view, you can still watch the fight at the comfort of your very home.