Monday, July 27, 2009

Cotto vs. Pacquiao: and the Winner Is!!!


Who would expect that a smaller guy, who was once a skinny fighter at flyweight, would fight a much bigger man in the welterweight division? Inconceivable, unimaginable isn’t it? Especially if the bigger man is not an ordinary fighter but a true champion who has been bullying opponents in the ring. This happens only in the movies and in the bible too.

But not now, the once believed to be an inconceivable, unimaginable, and almost impossible fight will happen on November 14, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The smaller man, who happens to be the King (Pound for Pound) of boxing, His Majesty Manny Pacquiao, who is comfortable fighting at the weight of 140 pounds, will fight the bigger man, who happens to be the Ruler of the Welterweight Division, His Highness Miguel Cotto who is comfortable fighting at 147 pounds.

How to level the playing field?: Since the weight discrepancy is too much, experts figure out a way of making the fight even by adjusting the weight limit. They just let the bigger man go down his weight a little and the smaller man go up a little. From 147, His Highness Miguel Cotto will move down by two (2) pounds and His Majesty Manny Pacquiao will move up by five (5) pounds. They will meet at 145 pounds. Perfect match according to the experts.

What are at stake?: Aside from a big payday, both fighters are aiming for “the throne and the crown”. The Throne of Manny Pacquiao as the Pound for Pound King and the Crown of Miguel Cotto as the Welterweight Division Champion of the World. Wow, what a fight. Anybody who wins the fight will be regarded as the Pound for Pound King of Boxing and the Ruler of Welterweight Division. For both fighters, this is a chance of a lifetime to prove their worth to the world. Who will not be enticed by these rewards. Even if this fight will be classified as non-title bout, for all intents and purposes, anybody who wins (especially if by total domination) will be regarded as the Pound for Pound King and the Welterweight Division Champ.

How will the fighters prepare? : Well, both fighters will make sure that they are physically, mentally and spiritually in top shape during this occasion. How to do this would depend on how their coaches and trainers would use their wits and creativity in analyzing previous fights, present condition of both fighters and possible scenarios during the fight to formulate their own game plans. Who outwits who will have an advantage in this fight.

Who do you think will win in this fight? Is it Pacquiao or Cotto? and why? : I am going to toss this question to the following:

  • To the fans of both fighters, the question is “Why do you think your idol, either Cotto or Pacquiao, will win in this fight?
  • To those who are not fans of both fighters, the question is “Who do you think will win in this fight and why?”

Please cast your votes on the poll space below.

Let the fight begins.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Who Really Is Manny Pacquiao?

Emannuel Dapidran Pacquiao or famously called Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao can be described in three sentences:

1. A man who refuses to surrender to poverty.
2. A man who uses Great Faith In God as main weapon towards success.
3. A man who may eventually become a distinguished politician and businessman.


A man who refuses to surrender to poverty

It is known to everybody that Manny Pacquiao comes from a poor family in General Santos City with only his mother Aling Dionisia as the main provider. Aling Dionisia, single-handedly raised her children to support family needs. With this situation, many, if not everybody, would think that a good life for Aling Dionisia and her children (including Manny) is nothing but a dream. But for Manny, poverty is only in a person’s mind. For him, surrendering to poverty would mean being poor your whole life. But instead of surrendering, Manny charted his future by fighting poverty. And you know what happens next.


A man who uses Great Faith In God as weapon towards success

In fighting against poverty, Manny used his great faith in God as the main weapon and boxing as the way to achieve success. He is a very religious man and brings his faith everywhere anytime. In every activity he does, he always put God ahead of it. On the day of and after every fight, a mass is celebrated at the room of the hotel he stays. Just before and after every fight, Manny finds time to go to one corner of the ring and pray. And just when every round starts, Manny does a sign of the cross. Manny’s great faith persuaded God to be on his side.

With God in his side, Manny beat all the odds like: being an unknown fighter, he knocked out Chachai Saskul of Thailand to capture the Championship belt; being regarded as an underdog, tune-up fight for the Champion Lehehonolo Ledwaba, he scored a resounding upset by knocking out Ledwaba in 5 rounds; also being regarded as underdog against Marco Antonio Barrera, he annihilated the Mexican ledgend in 11 rounds; being also branded as mismatch when fighting the bigger and believed to be more skillful Oscar Dela Hoya, again he (Manny Pacquiao) dominated Dela Hoya to surrender after 8 rounds of boxing and eventually retired. The lates odds that Manny faced is the ridicule from the trainer of Ricky Hatton (Floyd Mayweather Snr.) and some jabbing words from Hatton himself, but he returned returned the favor by knocking out Hatton in 2 rounds. These are just a handful of the many odds the Pacman surmounted using God as his weapon.

With all these, Manny then became the number one pound-for-pound boxer in the world. But not only that, Manny also was declared as one of the most influential and popular figure in his homeland (the Philippines).

Some boxing analysts even said that, because Manny continuously gave viewers surprises and excitement during fights, by unexpectedly beating the almost impossible and/or inconceivable opponents, makes him a highly – prized pay-per-view fighter.

He is now very popular and exciting such that everybody (commentators, publishers, writers, haters, etc) would want to ride in order to make money. But his greatness doesn’t stops here.


A man who may eventually become a distinguished politician and businessman


After being very successful (fame and money) in boxing, Manny now wants to give back what God gave to him. He wants to do this by serving the people faithfully through a) being a politician where he can provide the much needed services to the grassroots levels of his hometown, and b) by being a businessman to extend basic service to those who need.

For being a business man, he is now using the money derived from his winnings in boxing to embark a vast Real Estate Development Project which would benefit not only the people of the General Santos City and Sarangani, but also the nearby residents in the Mindanao area.

For being a politician, he will be running for congressman in Sarangani.

Accomplishing these new endeavors will complete Manny’s dream of giving back what God gave to him. But again, many are belittling him (Manny Pacquiao) as, aside from lacking the educational diploma, he also doesn’t have impressive credentials in politics and businesses. So, many are again placing Manny as underdog in this fight.

But remember, God is in his side. So, just like boxing, let’s just pray for his success and watch how he will, again, do the unexpected in these new fields. As a stock market trader, I will say “I am bullish about Manny Pacquiao’ and I’ll bet he would succeed.

That’s Manny Pacquiao.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

MANNY PACQUIAO’S GREATNESS


Raul Estrelloso, EzineArticles.com Basic Author

If you trace the life of Manny Pacquiao, it would be like this:

“From a poor family with humble beginnings and considered to be at the low side of the totem pole of society, where nobody may even want to know about ……. To becoming a great number one pound-for-pound boxer in the world whose honor, greatness and popularity, majority if not everybody, would want to know about and ride on.”

And how did Manny Pacquiao achieve this greatness? Is he a Superman? No. Does he have extraordinary or magical powers? No also. Does he have the so called “Anting – Anting” or some call it “Dagon” in his homeland. Yes!!!

By the way what is an “Anting –Anting” or a “Dagon”?

In the Philippines, an Anting-Anting or a Dagon is something, be a tiny non-living thing to be kept in the body, a tiny living thing to be hidden secretly, a picture to be kept in a personal and most secret way or words to a few sentences to be uttered during important competitions to give the one who possesses it, extra power and advantage to win.

I am sure that many, including the great coach and trainer Fredie Roach, will laugh at this statement. They will say that Manny’s accomplishment and greatness cannot be attributed to a “Dagon” or “Anting-Anting”, but mainly due to the excellent work ethics, strong determination and continual improvement attitude that he has.

I don’t disagree with you in your ideas, but, I am sure many will be with me if I would reveal the “Anting-Anting” or “Dagon” of Manny Pacquiao.

Are you ready to know what is the Dagon or Anting-Anting of Manny Pacquiao? The source of his power?...........

Manny Pacquiao’s Anting-Anting is: “HIS STRONG FAITH IN GOD” which he wears and carries everywhere, anywhere and anytime. And also the “PRAYERS” that he utters before and after fights.

Pacman could not do the things he have accomplished without God’s intervention. With God at your side, “NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE”. It was God who guides Manny to go to the Wild Card Gym and submit to the greatest coach and trainer Fredie Roach and not to Floyd Mayweather Snr. or anybody else. Because of his strong faith in God, he was graced with an excellent work ethics, strong and unwavering determination, continuous improvement attitude, the ability to quickly adjust to situations during fights and the incredible speed and punching power which he carry even at higher weights. The Prayers he utters before and after fights are the words which persuade God to give him that extra power and speed during fights which make his opponents look like grade school boxers. His strong faith in God makes him very humble even in victory which made him popular and lovable to majority, if not all people.

So, are you convinced now my friends?

Good day.

Vote Here: What should Floyd Mayweather Jr. do?