Pacquiao secures a very merry Christmas for Pinoys

Sunday, November 15, 2009 at 5:37 AM
Manny Pacquiao made sure his kababayans in the Philippines will have a jolly celebration of the holidays after beating Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto to a pulp in their scheduled 12-round “Firepower" slugfest at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.

Manny Pacquiao, right, lands a right to the head of Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto during their WBO welterweight boxing title fight Saturday in Las Vegas. AP
Months of preparation between both fighters ended Saturday (Sunday in Manila) with Pacquiao needing 12 rounds and referee Kenny Bayless’ decision in collecting his record seventh weight division crown.

Pacquiao's win again gave the country the chance to forget the calamity brought by several typhoons that battered the country - mostly Luzon - and more reason to be more hopeful.

Now the “Pacman" can surely take his place among the great fighters, Filipino or foreign, that danced their way inside the four corners of the ring.

He has grown big, physically and in stature, from his humble beginnings around the busy streets of General Santos City where he began his career as a 106-lb strawweight.

Cotto fought gallantly, controlling the first two rounds where he kept Pacquiao out of his usual game.

But Pacquiao was apparently just taking his time to to study and size up his opponent first.

When the 30-year-old Filipino icon finally measured Cotto’s power, he started weaving his magic inside the ring, baffling his opponent with blinding speed and forcing the Puerto Rican to hit the canvass twice in the third and fourth rounds.

At times, Pacquiao unleashed several powerful combinations that rocked Cotto. But the deposed champion managed to fight back and exchange shots with the Filipino ring icon.

In the later round, Cotto started backpedaling and seemed content on just waiting for an opening to land a big shot when the tireless Pacquiao came forward.

His wife Melissa, seeing enough of the pounding his husband was receiving from Pacquiao, left the arena with their 10-year-old son at the start of the 10th round. Even Cotto’s father begged for a stoppage.

Bayless was the one who saved Cotto from Pacquiao’s beating, stopping the fight with still 55 seconds left in the 12th.

Pacquiao landed 336 punches out of the 780 he threw at Cotto for a 43 per cent accuracy rate while his opponent connected 172 times on the 336 he tossed (28 per cent). More than 270 of Pacquiao’s punches are aimed at Cotto’s head.

But based on the power punches, Pacquiao proved the stronger, one landing 276 out of the 560 he unleashed compared to the 93 out of the 300 by Cotto.

“I did not know where the punches are coming," was all a dejected Cotto could say after the match.

Had the match gone through the scorecards, judges Adalaide Byrd, Duane Ford and Dave Moretti would have still ruled in favor of Pacquiao. So dominant was Pacquiao that all three judges saw Cotto winning only two rounds of the fight. – GMANews.TV

Hollywood, sports stars witness Pacquiao’s annihilation of Cotto

at 5:35 AM
Manny Pacquiao’s 12-round annihilation of Miguel Cotto on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) gathered some of Hollywood’s top celebrities along with past and current athletic superstars.

Oscar-nominated actor Mickey Rourke and Mark Wahlberg were among those who watched as Pacquiao dismantled Cotto and completed his mission of winning a record seventh division title. Both actors are known Pacquiao fans with Rourke being a former student of Freddie Roach, the Filipino ring icon’s American trainer.

Manny Pacquiao salutes the crowd that features top Hollywood and sports stars after wresting the WBO welterweight belt from Miguel Cotto Saturday in Las Vegas (Sunday in Manila.) AP
Also at ringside were veteran actor Joe Pesci, socialite Paris Hilton, R&B artist Sean “P. Diddy" Combs, comedian Will Ferrell and Jeremy Piven, star of HBO’s hit series “Entourage".

Some of the finest athletes also dropped by to witness the showdown dubbed “Firepower."

Former boxing champions Roberto Duran and Tommy “The Hitman" Hearns, reining International Boxing Organization light heavyweight titlist Chad Dawson, undisputed light middleweight king and a current middleweight contender Winky Wright, Shane Mosley, New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, Derek Jeter of the World Series champs New York Yankees, and basketball legend Magic Johnson were also seen at ringside.

Philippine Vice President Noli De Castro, Deputy National Security Adviser and former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit" Singson and Mayor Bing Leonardia were among local politicians who trooped to Las Vegas to cheer for Pacquiao.

Kapuso singing group La Divas – Maricris Garcia, Aicelle Santos and Jonalyn Viray – sang the Lupang Hinirang followed by Ednita Nazario who sang Puerto Rico’s National Anthem. Fil-Am Ramiel of the American Idol fame sang the Star Spangled Banner before ring announcer Michael Buffer introduced both fighters.

Pacquiao reportedly earned $13 million (P611,000,000) from the megafight while Cotto pocketed $7 million just to have his face rearranged by the seven-division champion.

Undercard

Eight undercard bouts took place before the Pacquiao-Cotto showdown with two Filipino boxers, a relative of the deposed champion and an aspiring rabbi winning their respective matches.

Abner Cotto, cousin of the former WBO welterweight king, opened up the card with a victory over Lupe Guzman in their lightweight bout while Richie Mepranum, one of the two Filipino boxers in the undercard, won over Ernie Marquez by split decision.

Rodrigo Garcia defeated Martin Guerra by unanimous decision while Eden Sonsona, another boxer from the Philippines, scored a technical knockout victory over Eilon Kedem. Alfonso Gomez needed six rounds to beat Jesus Soto-Krass while Matt Korobov bested James Winchester in their middleweight division match.

Belarus-born Yuri Foreman of Israel, an aspiring rabbi, snatched the World Boxing Association super welterweight championship belt from Daniel Santos when he defeated the Puerto Rican via unanimous decision.

Julio Cesar Chavez outpointed Troy Rowland for the final undercard bout.

Hollywood, sports stars witness Pacquiao’s annihilation of Cotto

at 5:35 AM
Manny Pacquiao’s 12-round annihilation of Miguel Cotto on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) gathered some of Hollywood’s top celebrities along with past and current athletic superstars.

Oscar-nominated actor Mickey Rourke and Mark Wahlberg were among those who watched as Pacquiao dismantled Cotto and completed his mission of winning a record seventh division title. Both actors are known Pacquiao fans with Rourke being a former student of Freddie Roach, the Filipino ring icon’s American trainer.

Manny Pacquiao salutes the crowd that features top Hollywood and sports stars after wresting the WBO welterweight belt from Miguel Cotto Saturday in Las Vegas (Sunday in Manila.) AP
Also at ringside were veteran actor Joe Pesci, socialite Paris Hilton, R&B artist Sean “P. Diddy" Combs, comedian Will Ferrell and Jeremy Piven, star of HBO’s hit series “Entourage".

Some of the finest athletes also dropped by to witness the showdown dubbed “Firepower."

Former boxing champions Roberto Duran and Tommy “The Hitman" Hearns, reining International Boxing Organization light heavyweight titlist Chad Dawson, undisputed light middleweight king and a current middleweight contender Winky Wright, Shane Mosley, New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, Derek Jeter of the World Series champs New York Yankees, and basketball legend Magic Johnson were also seen at ringside.

Philippine Vice President Noli De Castro, Deputy National Security Adviser and former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit" Singson and Mayor Bing Leonardia were among local politicians who trooped to Las Vegas to cheer for Pacquiao.

Kapuso singing group La Divas – Maricris Garcia, Aicelle Santos and Jonalyn Viray – sang the Lupang Hinirang followed by Ednita Nazario who sang Puerto Rico’s National Anthem. Fil-Am Ramiel of the American Idol fame sang the Star Spangled Banner before ring announcer Michael Buffer introduced both fighters.

Pacquiao reportedly earned $13 million (P611,000,000) from the megafight while Cotto pocketed $7 million just to have his face rearranged by the seven-division champion.

Undercard

Eight undercard bouts took place before the Pacquiao-Cotto showdown with two Filipino boxers, a relative of the deposed champion and an aspiring rabbi winning their respective matches.

Abner Cotto, cousin of the former WBO welterweight king, opened up the card with a victory over Lupe Guzman in their lightweight bout while Richie Mepranum, one of the two Filipino boxers in the undercard, won over Ernie Marquez by split decision.

Rodrigo Garcia defeated Martin Guerra by unanimous decision while Eden Sonsona, another boxer from the Philippines, scored a technical knockout victory over Eilon Kedem. Alfonso Gomez needed six rounds to beat Jesus Soto-Krass while Matt Korobov bested James Winchester in their middleweight division match.

Belarus-born Yuri Foreman of Israel, an aspiring rabbi, snatched the World Boxing Association super welterweight championship belt from Daniel Santos when he defeated the Puerto Rican via unanimous decision.

Julio Cesar Chavez outpointed Troy Rowland for the final undercard bout.

Hollywood, sports stars witness Pacquiao’s annihilation of Cotto

at 5:35 AM
Manny Pacquiao’s 12-round annihilation of Miguel Cotto on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) gathered some of Hollywood’s top celebrities along with past and current athletic superstars.

Oscar-nominated actor Mickey Rourke and Mark Wahlberg were among those who watched as Pacquiao dismantled Cotto and completed his mission of winning a record seventh division title. Both actors are known Pacquiao fans with Rourke being a former student of Freddie Roach, the Filipino ring icon’s American trainer.

Manny Pacquiao salutes the crowd that features top Hollywood and sports stars after wresting the WBO welterweight belt from Miguel Cotto Saturday in Las Vegas (Sunday in Manila.) AP
Also at ringside were veteran actor Joe Pesci, socialite Paris Hilton, R&B artist Sean “P. Diddy" Combs, comedian Will Ferrell and Jeremy Piven, star of HBO’s hit series “Entourage".

Some of the finest athletes also dropped by to witness the showdown dubbed “Firepower."

Former boxing champions Roberto Duran and Tommy “The Hitman" Hearns, reining International Boxing Organization light heavyweight titlist Chad Dawson, undisputed light middleweight king and a current middleweight contender Winky Wright, Shane Mosley, New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, Derek Jeter of the World Series champs New York Yankees, and basketball legend Magic Johnson were also seen at ringside.

Philippine Vice President Noli De Castro, Deputy National Security Adviser and former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit" Singson and Mayor Bing Leonardia were among local politicians who trooped to Las Vegas to cheer for Pacquiao.

Kapuso singing group La Divas – Maricris Garcia, Aicelle Santos and Jonalyn Viray – sang the Lupang Hinirang followed by Ednita Nazario who sang Puerto Rico’s National Anthem. Fil-Am Ramiel of the American Idol fame sang the Star Spangled Banner before ring announcer Michael Buffer introduced both fighters.

Pacquiao reportedly earned $13 million (P611,000,000) from the megafight while Cotto pocketed $7 million just to have his face rearranged by the seven-division champion.

Undercard

Eight undercard bouts took place before the Pacquiao-Cotto showdown with two Filipino boxers, a relative of the deposed champion and an aspiring rabbi winning their respective matches.

Abner Cotto, cousin of the former WBO welterweight king, opened up the card with a victory over Lupe Guzman in their lightweight bout while Richie Mepranum, one of the two Filipino boxers in the undercard, won over Ernie Marquez by split decision.

Rodrigo Garcia defeated Martin Guerra by unanimous decision while Eden Sonsona, another boxer from the Philippines, scored a technical knockout victory over Eilon Kedem. Alfonso Gomez needed six rounds to beat Jesus Soto-Krass while Matt Korobov bested James Winchester in their middleweight division match.

Belarus-born Yuri Foreman of Israel, an aspiring rabbi, snatched the World Boxing Association super welterweight championship belt from Daniel Santos when he defeated the Puerto Rican via unanimous decision.

Julio Cesar Chavez outpointed Troy Rowland for the final undercard bout.

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