INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton drew loud applause at a town hall meeting with students Friday in the Philippines by giving the right answer to the most pressing question: Is Manny Pacquiao going to win this weekend?

“Of course the Pacman’s going to win, is there any doubt?” Clinton said when asked about Pacquiao’s match against Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas November 14 (US time) during the nationally televised forum with hundreds of students at the University of Sto. Tomas in Manila.

"Pacman" is Pacquiao's nickname.

Clinton, who was on an official visit to Manila, said she would watch the match.

The most popular Filipino will be back in the boxing ring to take on Cotto in a 145-pound (66-kilogram) fight that will be closely watched back home.

Clinton said she's aware that boxing and basketball are "pretty big" in the Philippines. Every time Pacquiao steps into the ring, he brings his native Philippines to a virtual standstill.

A Chicago native, Clinton also confessed that the Chicago Bulls were her favorites—until she moved to New York and started backing the Knicks, something she said was "kind of discouraging."

"Now the Knicks are trying maybe to get LeBron James, now that would make it very exciting in New York. So I will watch that. I am not sure exactly what will happen," Clinton said. With Lira Dalangin-Fernandez