100 million praying for Pacman victory
MANILA, Philippines—The Mexican Antonio Margarito may have longer arms but he doesn’t have what Manny Pacquiao has—nearly 100 million people praying for the pound-for-pound king’s victory.
“Even if his foe is taller and has a longer reach, the confidence of our Pambansang Kamao, Manny Pacquiao, is not all affected,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma told reporters Friday.
Pacquiao won the belt
“What really gives him strength and hope is knowing that almost 100 million Filipinos are praying and hoping that he would succeed and this is his strongest force that he can use in his fight against Margarito,” Coloma said.
Free telecast
The Saturday (Sunday in Manila) fight in Texas will again be telecast live in all Philippine military camps.
Pacquiao is an Army reservist who has been promoted to senior master sergeant, the highest rank for enlisted personnel, following his ring conquests.
“We consider this a big event. In all of the camps we will have a live coverage,” Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Jose Mabanta Jr. said.
PNP chief’s forecast
Pacquiao in three rounds—that is the fearless forecast of Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Raul Bacalzo.
Talking with reporters, Bacalzo said Margarito would last just nine minutes with Pacquiao in the ring before getting knocked out.
Boxing is a mandatory sport in the Philippine Military Academy along with other martial arts.
Bacalzo said the PNP would provide free viewing of the fight at the PNP Multi-Purpose Center for all policemen and their dependents.
No betting, please
In Compostela Valley in Mindanao, Governor Arturo Uy had a message to residents of the province: Just watch the fight and do not solicit bets.
Soliciting bets is banned and violators will be arrested, Uy warned. The provincial government, as in previous Pacquiao fights, will sponsor free live viewing of the Texas bout.
Big screens will be put up in at least 12 areas in the province, including the gold-rich Mount Diwalwal.
He said the provincial government, in cooperation with companies like Phoenix Petroleum, had set aside funds for the live viewing.
Free live viewing
“Like people in any other part of the country, Comvaleños are huge Pacquiao fans so giving our constituents a free viewing of each fight of our national sports icon has already become a tradition,” Uy said.
In Davao del Norte, the provincial government will also put up big screens in several sites for the free live viewing of the fight, Gene Rose Tecson, chief of staff of Representative Antonio Lagdameo, said. Reports from Norman Bordadora, Dona Pazzibugan and Alcuin Papa in Manila; and Frinston Lim, Inquirer Mindanao
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