28 PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY April 16 - 30 , 2018
SPECTATOR
By Al Mendoza
Pacquiao ’ s main motivation vs Matthysse
THE last time Manny Pacquiao won by knockout was nine years ago . He stopped Miguel Cotto in 2009 , when the referee , taking pity on the badly-battered Puerto Rican , halted the fight midway into the 12th and final round .
Pacquiao has had 37 knockouts before that . He has a total of 57 wins , absorbing 6 defeats and drawing twice in a career spanning nearly 25 years .
He is 39 now , turning 40 on December 17 .
Pacquiao is set to fight Lucas Matthysse on July 15 in Kuala Lumpur , whose only claim to world boxing was its hosting the Ali-Bugner bout of decades back .
You think Pacquiao stands a chance against the knockout specialist from Chubot , Argentina ?
Not only is Matthysse the reigning world welterweight champion of the World Boxing Association ( WBA ). He also packs a killer blow , having knocked out 36 of his 39 victims . If that is not impressive enough , then consider Pacquiao ’ s eight division world crowns a fluke .
While Pacquiao is easily considered an old fogey already at 39 , I guess not Matthysse , who is 35 .
The age difference should make the Argentinian the hands-on favorite in the 12-round fight .
From 2009 , when Pacquiao stopped Cotto , up to last year , when Pacquiao lost on points to Australian Jeff Horn in 12 rounds , the fighting senator seemed to have lost his punching power .
In that span of time , he suffered three of his total of six career losses . Worse , he absorbed a terrible sixthround knockout defeat to Marquez along the way .
Was that knockout to Marquez in
2012 ?
After that horrific stoppage — Pacquiao had lain motionless for several deathly seconds on the canvas — many said it was time for him to retire .
PacMom Dionesia , Pacquiao ’ s mother , when interviewed after that knockout , kept screaming , “ Stop na ! Stop na talaga !” Translation : No more fighting for my son !
But Pacquiao wouldn ’ t take heed — like most fighters nearing their sunset years do .
As always , those who have reached the top are the hardest to convince to step down . Mule-stubborn , they cling on like barnacles to a false pride . Some plod on for the money . Pacquiao ? Money isn ’ t a problem for him anymore , it seems , but still , those close to him say he still needs more moolah . The rumor mill is pregnant with talks he has obligations too many to fulfill . Thus , quitting isn ’ t an option at the moment .
And so , he is going to fight again .
Even if the sting in his fists isn ’ t there , anymore .
Even if the spring in his legs isn ’ t there , anymore .
Even if the razor-sharp combinations aren ’ t there , anymore .
Thus , in his coming fight , I don ’ t see a clear advantage for Pacquiao .
Pacquiao hasn ’ t fought for almost a year , making him vulnerable to a corrosion attack . Rust rests on the stagnant .
If only three of Matthysse ’ s 39 victims survived his knockout blows , what does that tell you of Matthysse ?
But Pacquiao choosing him as his 68th foe tells us more : Ego .
And Pacquiao knocking out Matthysse ? Why , at 39 , happy days are here again . He ’ d bark to the world : “ Vegas ,
PH hosts Asia golf confab
WWW . PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY . COM
I ’ m back !” * * * * * THAT ’ S IT Again , the man in the mirror is saying , “ Talk to me . Be honest with me . You still dig The Beatles ? You still down bottles the way you used to — easily ?” Life ’ s been good all these years . The man in the mirror can ’ t complain . His God ’ s keeping watch over him without fail . Happy birthday to Jake P . Ayson and Dr . Lito Durante ! Happy birthday , too , to Francesco Dakila Sadiwa aka Ikap !____
Miguel makes history at Diamond Motors golf
I had the rare honor of playing golf with Miguel Tabuena on Friday . Occasion was the 17th Diamond Motors Invitationals at the Manila Golf Club inside plush Forbes Park , Makati City .
You just don ’ t get to play that easily at MGC , whose equivalent in stature and , yes , snootiness is Augusta National in Augusta , Georgia . Augusta is , of course , home of the Masters , the world ’ s most prestigious event .
My gratitude therefore goes enormously to George Blaylock , Diamond ’ s top honcho , who even so graciously included me in his flight that also included Matsuhiro Oshikiri , the jolly president of Mitsubishi Motors Philippines .
And also to my dear old friend Art Balmadrid , who reminded me forcefully that I shouldn ’ t miss the event as it also afforded me the chance to see dear buddy Froi Dytianquin again . Thanks , Art .
At the Manila Golf Club , you walk virtually on rich man ’ s land . Rodeo Drive . Fifth Avenue .
How many celebrities — big shots in show biz included — had been rejected membership there , despite the screaming color of their money ?
I don ’ t know if their rule of allowing a non-member to play there only once a week is still in effect . If yes , I don ’ t give a hoot . Why , a share costing P40 million gives Club members all that right to be exclusive .
And name me a Club that has a separate locker room for its guests ? And first class at that , mind you .
But exclusivity and all , George , Oshikiri-san , Miguel and I had fun .
Miguel was a thrill to watch in the flesh . Just one word to describe his game on Friday : Brilliant .
One eagle . Should have been two — the second eagle from 25 feet lipped out . Six birdies . Parred the rest for a 63 . Blue tees , just inches away from the gold tees .
In the awarding ceremony , George said of Miguel : “ I ’ m happy to announce that Miguel Tabuena is now a Diamond Motors endorser . And today , Miguel ’ s 8-under-par 63 had set a new record for the redesigned course .”
The old course had a best of 61 fired by Rudy Labares .
Tabuena , who plays this week in the Panasonic Open in Ibaraki , Japan , is already the proud owner of two Philippine Open crowns . He won his first when he was only 21 in 2015 and the second only last month .
So young and Tabuena , concealing his youth with a moustache , is up there already — virtually . Soon the Masters ?
THE 7th annual Asia Golf Tourism Convention is being staged in the Philippines for the first time , with the main convention taking place at the Resorts World up to April 25 .
The AGTC is the most important golf tourism event in the Asia Pacific region , bringing together international golf tour operators from around the world , all selling golf vacations to Asia , to meet with golf tourism suppliers ( golf resorts , hotels , golf courses , inbound tour operators and tourist boards ) from Asia , the Pacific , Indian Ocean and Gulf States .
Owned and operated by International Association of Golf Tour Operators , the AGTC is held in a different destination each year . Previous AGTC host destinations were Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia ( 2012 ); Pattaya , Thailand ( 2013 ); Mission Hills Haikou , Hainan Island , China ( 2014 ); Jakarta , Indonesia ( 2015 ); Chiang Mai , Thailand ( 2016 ); and Danang , Vietnam ( 2017 ).
The AGTC is designed to showcase the host destination to the participating golf tour operators to generate sustainable growth in golf travel .
Established in 1997 , the IAGTO is the global trade organization of the golf tourism industry , and has over 2653 member companies in 98 countries including 685 golf tour operator members in 64 countries , which control more than 87 percent of golf vacation packages sold worldwide and which collectively have annual sales of more than $ 2.5 billion .
IAGTO runs annual Asia Golf Tourism Convention and North America Golf Tourism Convention , along with regular Destination Conventions . IAGTO established the International Golf Travel Market , now owned and operated by Reed Travel Exhibitions , in 1997 and the International Golf Travel Writers Association in 2000 . IAGTO also runs the prestigious annual IAGTO Awards and the IAGTO Excellence Awards .
AGTC 2018 has attracted over 560 participants including 200-plus golf tour operators from 33 countries . A record number of golf tour operators – over 160 – participated in golf familiarization tours before and after the convention , experiencing first-hand what the Philippines has to offer the international golf traveler .
In a statement , IAGTO said : “ In 2017 , IAGTO ’ s 686 international golf tour operators recorded an 8.8 percent growth in golf vacation sales , marking six years of consecutive growth in this high revenue , low impact , tourism sector .
“ In January this year , forward booking taken by golf tour operators were up 10.8 percent compared to the same time last year . Golf courses , golf resorts and hotels in Asia reported golf visitor arrivals up 9.2 percent in 2017 , demonstrating that golf travel continues to outstrip the growth of general leisure tourism by a significant margin .”
“ Thanks to the efforts of the Philippines Department of Tourism and its Tourism Promotion Board , the world ’ s leading golf tour operators will see for themselves an amazing array of golf experiences – including the Tagaytay Highlands , Clark-Angeles City and Metro Manila – for the first time ,” said IAGTO chief executive Peter Walton .( Malaya )