A VIDEO showing the PBA’s Living Legend Sonny Jaworski signing an autograph for a fan in Las Vegas must have reminded local media of scenes when boxing icon Manny Pacquiao was not yet too popular and idolized by legions of fans around the world.
Some 15 years ago, Pacquiao was a guest along with then PBA superstars Jaworski and Ramon Fernandez during a sports media forum at Kamayan Restaurant. The two star cagers occupied the presidential table while Pacquiao, who came ahead of them, sat alone and unnoticed at one of the tables.
Pacquiao came with some boxing people but when he saw the two cagers arrive, he told them they could leave ahead because he was staying behind to watch the rest of the proceedings.
Jaworski and Fernandez were the Pacman’s idols as basketball, before boxing, was his first love.
Pacquiao just sat there watching quietly. Nobody bothered him—not the scribes nor the photographers. Nobody seemed interested in him. Everyone hovered around the two cage superstars.
About a decade and a half hence, the tables have been turned. Pacquiao has become the idol and just about everyone has turned into a boxing fan. Even the Big J.
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Notes from Las Vegas:
A few minutes before yesterday’s weigh-in, hundreds were still trying to get inside the jampacked venue where about 11,000 fans paid $10 (about P400) each just to get a glimpse of Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
A very familiar face in the crowd was former world boxing champ Mike Tyson who was shown on video elbowing a fan who was bothering him.
Larry Merchant, the legendary American boxing analyst, labeled Pacquiao as “the greatest boxer of all time.” However, he said he thinks Mayweather will win today’s “Battle for Greatness.”
“I hope I’m proven wrong,” he immediately adds.
Mayweather: “I never want to win a fight so bad in my life!” (Referring to today’s showdown with Pacquiao.)
Years before the “Pambansang Kamao” became more popular than NLEX cager Asi Taulava, the two already had a close working relationship. Would you believe Pacquiao at one time was the conditioning coach of Taulava?
Like Gerry’s Grill owner Jerome Ngo, dozens, if not hundreds, of Pinoys who could afford it flew to Las Vegas, unsure if they would be able to secure a ticket for the fight today.
Ngo said he was promised a ticket by someone close to Pacquiao weeks ago but close to zero hour, he still has to get hold of the tickets. He’s willing to pay for them, but none, they say, are available even from scalpers. He said he will most likely watch the fight on pay-per-view television inside the MGM Grand.