A14 April 2015
MetroVanIndependent.com
Sports
Photo by Top Rank
Mayweather and Pacquiao at the Los Angeles press conference
Pacquiao vs. Mayweather
Better late than never
By Alex P. Vidal
“Better late than never is poor
consolation for the man who has
lost the opportunity of a lifetime.”
- HENRI MATISSE
Like Lazarus, the several times mothballed Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao versus
Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. bout sprang
back to life third week of February 2015 just
when soothsayers were about to pull the
plug for the dream fight with finality.
When no official announcement that
came on February 19 as expected earlier,
fans thought they couldn’t anymore witness the greatest duel in fight history.
But, lo and behold, Mayweather
screamed on his Twitter account on
February 20 an earthshaking announcement: “What the world has been waiting for
has arrived. Mayweather vs. Pacquiao on
May 2, 2015 is a done deal. I promised the
fans we would get this done, and we did.
We will make history on May 2nd. Don’t
miss it!”
Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs) only delayed
the announcement by a day after when
ESPN supposedly had violated their agreement not to leak any portion of the deal.
The unbeaten bronze medalist in the
1996 Atlanta Olympics wanted exclusive
rights for the official announcement. And
he did it four days before his 38th birthday
Manny Pacquiao
Photo by Top Rank
on February 24.
The breakthrough came less than
a month after both Mayweather and
Pacquiao, 36, showed up at a Miami Heat
basketball game on Jan. 27 and exchanged
numbers, causing even more speculation
on the nearness of the bout demanded by
fans since 2009.
Pacquiao was ready to ink a deal with
Amir Khan if Mayweather did not sign his
signature in the dotted lines. Mayweather,
on the other hand, was prepared to tour
the world anew with his 30-staff entourage on board a private jet if the mega fight
nosedived.
Pacquiao has until 2016 to complete his
contractual obligations with the Top Rank
where the CEO, Atty. Bob Arum, is like his
foster father. He could not afford to walk in
the park in 2015 without throwing a single
punch for a pay.
Back in the Philippines, fans whooped
like they won a trip to Jupiter and Mars –
a dream come true and better late than
never. Filipinos are proud that their very
own fighter, a congressman and professional basketball playing coach, will be
part of a gigantic event that is expected to
share records in a sport governed by the
Marquees of Queensberry Rules.
It will be the richest-ever showdown in
the history of prizefighting with Pacquiao
(57-5-2, 38 KOs) guaranteed to bankroll at
least $100 million and Mayweather getting
the lion share of at least $150 million in a
$300-million deal.
Rivals Showtime and HBO will bring the
event “live” on a pay-per-view, the second
time for them to gather forces since 2002
when Lennox Lewis (39-2-1, 30 KOs) pole
axed Mike Tyson (49-3, 43 KOs) for the
WBC/IBF/IBO heavyweight diadems in
Memphis, Tennessee.
No other boxing showdown can equal
the Pacquiao versus Mayweather 12-round
world welterweight fisticuff in terms of
global impact; not even the historic rumble
between Jack Dempsey (54-6-9, 44 KOs)
and Georges Carpenter (88-15-6, 57 KOs)
in New Jersey on July 2, 1921 that amassed
the first $1 million in gate receipts; or the
epic battle between Sugar Ray Leonard
(36-3-1, 25 KOs) and Marvelous Marvin
Hagler (62-3, 52 KOs) on April 6,1987 that
submitted the first-ever $100 million ticket
revenue in fight industry.
Not even the Mayweather Jr. versus
Saul Alvarez in 2013 ($150 million) and the
Mayweather Jr. versus Oscar De La Hoya
in 2007 ($136 million). For all its worth, suspense and excitement, the Pacquiao versus Mayweather Jr. “Fight of the Century”
is better late than never.
Pinoy snowboarder finishes 5th in Canada Winter Games
By Alex Mino
For an individual to conquer Winter
Sports despite being born in a tropical
country surprises everyone, even his
competitors.
Filipino snowboarder Adrian Tongko
amazed Canadian-born snowboarders
after landing a respectable fifth-place finish
in the recently-concluded 2015 Canada
Winter Games held in Prince George,
British Columbia.
The 18-year old tallies 74.40 score to
cement his spot in top ten of Slope- style
finals among eighteen participants.
Tongko can’t believe he would go this
far beating some homegrown athletes in
the annual sporting event.
“They’re just surprised. They’re just
shocked,” he says with a big grin in his
face.
The North Vancouver-resident admitted
his curiosity had a lot to do with it where
he is currently enjoying this kind of sports
discipline.
“I really want to experience what the
game is all about, “says Tongko, who was
born in Pasay City.
Quite an achievement for the 5-foot10 lad who came here in Canada when he
was nine years old, considering most of his
opponents came from mountain families
chasing their parents up and down the
slopes fro