Even tricycle drivers are opting to work rather than watch #PacVargas. Photo by Randolph B. Leongson
Manny Pacquiao may have won the war in his return to the ring, but do his fans still care?
From the looks of it, things have changed a lot.
It was as if Filipinos just went on with their daily lives just like any other Sunday morning.
“Parang dati yung ibang tao, talagang nagkukumahog manood,” said tricycle driver Carlo Manto. “Ngayon mahina na. Di na nga siguro alam ng tao kung anong oras yung laban.”
The 44-year-old Caloocan native even said that watching Pacquiao beat Jessie Vargas for the WBO welterweight title wasn’t high on his priority, saying he’d rather go to work. “Mas kailangan kong maghanap-buhay.”
Viewing parties were also sparse, with only a handful holding free showing to still intrigued fans. Like in San Juan, basketball gyms which used to host Pacquiao pay-per-view feeds were also rare.
Courts like this one usually hold Pacquiao fight viewing parties. Not this time. #PacVargas
Interest has also dwindled, largely due to Pacquiao’s earlier vow to walk away from the sport after being elected to the Senate.
“My father usually tells me weeks in advance to reserve seats for Pacquiao fights in sports bars. But now, we almost forgot the fight is happening,” said writer JT Nisay, 24. “It’s amazing how his TV status dropped from ‘must-see’ to ‘meh.'”
With Pacquiao trying to do so many things — with commitments in politics and basketball, among others—some fans have seemingly lost interest.
“In his quest to tick every box in his bucket list, Pacquiao has been so ubiquitous that it’s easy to forget that he still is a boxer, that he actually is fighting again today,” said Nisay.
One spectator offered another explanation as to why the hype wasn’t as big as before.
“Vargas is unknown to Filipino fans. That’s why,” Dean Myer (@sportsdean) said in a Twitter post.
But some are willing to look past his myriad of obligations, believing he will always be a boxer at heart.
“Syempre namulat yung maya nya sa boxing. Matatanggal mo sa kanya yung pagka-senador nya pero di mo matatanggal yung pagiging boksingero nya,” said Jigs Divino, a bouncer in San Juan.
The 38-year-old believes this was Pacquiao’s chance to show that he still has some gas left in his tank after his unanimous decision win against Timothy Bradley.
“Gusto ko makita yung tinatago pang lakas ni Pacquiao kasi medyo nakulangan ako ng ng kaunti dun sa huling laban nya. Kailangang ipakita ulit nya yung kaya nya,” Divino said.
On social media, though, fans were seemingly eager while waiting for updates on the fight with television stations airing it on a delayed basis.
While there were negative comments, most were still quick to congratulate Pacquiao, who promised to return to the Philippines the day after his bout.
“Congrats Manny! We’re so proud of you! Iba talaga ang lakas ng Pinoy! Solid Pinoy Pride!” said user @heyjaaasper in a tweet.
In Las Vegas, there were over 16,000 fans who watched the fight card stacked with four world title fights at Thomas & Mack center. /rga