INQUIRER Sports

PROBABLY SHAKEN by the tragedy that befell Z “The Dream” Gorres in Las Vegas last Friday the 13th, Mommy Dionisia Pacquiao is now strongly urging her son to hang up his gloves.

At the end of his fight against the scary-looking Colombian boxer Luis Melendez, and after being declared the winner, Gorres walked unsteadily toward his corner and collapsed.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors found a blood clot in his brain that was causing so much pressure and swelling. To save Gorres’ life, doctors immediately operated on him.

Mommy D’s fears were obviously aggravated by the fact that blood oozed from Manny’s right ear after his own fight with former WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto. The ear had to be drained and bandaged.

Causing further worry, the ear still bled the next day and had to be drained again of blood and other fluids by Dr. Jeffrey Roth, the Pacman’s attending physician.

While millions of Filipinos prayed for Manny’s victory on the eve of “Firepower,” there were many others who also prayed that Gorres snap out of coma and recover well enough to live a normal life again.

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The sad thing about this whole tragedy is that, just before he entered the ring for his bout with Melendez, Gorres had been promised a world title fight against WBO champion Fernando Montiel.

Thrilled at the prospect, Gorres promised his manager Michael Aldeguer he would put on a show to demonstrate his skill. It was the same promise he earlier made to veteran media man Ronnie Nathanielsz.

The boxer did exactly that, unaware that he was setting the stage for his last hurrah.

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The young fighters of the ALA Gym in Cebu are trooping to the Sto. Niño Basilica to pray for their colleague.

According to Aldeguer, who is keeping vigil on the injured boxer at the University Medical Center in Las Vegas, their prayers are being answered because Gorres is getting better.

The swelling of the brain has subsided, sedation has been eased and close monitoring is no longer required. As a result, Gorres’ is now conscious about what’s happening around him.

Doctors want to wean Gorres away from the ventilator soonest to allow him to breathe on his own.

Aldeguer is requesting for more prayers for Z.

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A friend who watched the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto telecast by Solar Sports at the jampacked Araneta Coliseum was taken aback when he saw Willie Revillame walk into the MGM Grand holding Pacquiao’s left arm.

Wife Jinkee was on Manny’s right but clearly the camera focused on Manny and Willie.

Question: Is Willie running for public office?

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Mommy D now wants to follow in her son’s footsteps. As a singer, mind you. In fact she recorded something with her idol Imelda Papin, who was also in Las Vegas for Manny’s fight. Imelda said Mommy D is pretty good.

Well, what can I say? It seems that Mommy D is now a star in her own right.

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One can’t help but marvel at Manny’s energy and stamina. Imagine, from the MGM Grand, he proceeded to Mandalay Bay after the fight to participate in the Manny Pacquiao Band concert where he belted out eight songs. His ear could be still bleeding at the time.