Saturday, October 6, 2007

Proud Filipino... Thank you Pacquiao...

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Coat of Arms...


Lupang Hinirang
Official version used since 1956

Bayang magiliw
Perlas ng Silanganan,
Alab ng puso,
Sa dibdib mo'y buhay.

Lupang Hinirang,
Duyan ka ng magiting,
Sa manlulupig,
Di ka pasisiil.

Sa dagat at bundok,
Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw,
May dilag ang tula
At awit sa paglayang minamahal.
Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y
Tagumpay na nagniningning,
Ang bituin at araw niya
Kailan pa ma'y di magdidilim.
Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhati't pagsinta,
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo;
Aming ligaya, na pag may mang-aapi
Ang mamatay nang dahil sa iyo.



Article 1

LAS VEGAS-In the long-expected rematch Manny Pacquiao could not humble Mexico’s Marco Antonio Barrera but he proved once again his power too much in winning by unanimous decision on Saturday.

“It was different from the first fight,” said Pacquiao (45-3-2, 34 KOs). “He is a fine boxer.”

A boisterous 10,112 people at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino saw Barrera (63-6, 42 KOs) intent on proving his loss four years ago was an aberration, but he slowed down around the ninth round and the Pacquiao express rolled on for another win.

Unlike the first fight, there were no knockdowns but the anticipation of one kept the crowd on its feet as both Mexican and Filipino fans cheered wildly throughout the 12 rounds.

The fight began slowly and tactically as both fighters measured each other carefully. Pacquiao landed some straight lefts but couldn’t land a solid shot. Barrera concentrated on working body and head combinations but nothing telling landed for two rounds.

In the third round both fighters stepped up the pace as Pacquiao landed a solid right hook while Barrera’s three-punch combination scored. Neither fighter was hurt.

Pacquiao landed some left hands and right hooks, but every time the Filipino bomber connected Barrera rallied back furiously.

Like a firecracker that finally exploded Barrera landed several combinations. Pacquiao responded with some bombs of his own with both fighters firing with abandon in both the fifth and sixth round as the crowd erupted in delirium.

“I trained knowing he had to box me,” said Pacquiao. “I was able to use my own boxing ability.”

A slow-paced seventh round allowed Barrera to re-charge and perhaps Pacquiao too. A four-punch combo by Barrera might have stolen the round for the Mexican.

Around the ninth round Barrera lost steam and allowed Pacquiao to dictate the pace of the fight. From then on the Filipino fighter slowly but tactfully won three of the last four rounds.

“I got caught up during the exchanges,” said Barrera, who was stopped in the 11th round in their first fight in 2003. “It was a mistake. I should have boxed more. I got tired.”

The 11th round saw both exchange furiously again with a collision of heads possibly causing a cut below Barrera’s right eye. During a break Barrera fired a right hand that stunned Pacquiao who wobbled around the ring in pain. Referee Tony Weeks deducted a point from Barrera for hitting on the break.

All three judges scored it for Pacquiao 118-109 twice and 115-112 for Pacquiao.

“This was my last fight,” said Barrera, who has been fighting since age 15. “He’s especially fast and powerful.”

Freddie Roach, who trains Pacquiao, said Barrera’s boxing skills made it difficult to repeat his first knockdown, but he was still able to score enough to win the fight.

“He surprised me that he lasted all 12 rounds,” said Roach of Barrera. “He has a lot of heart and guts.”


Victory!!!


Article 2

The Philippines’ national treasure Manny Pacquiao, cheered on by his flag-waving countrymen who packed the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Sunday, score a handsome unanimous twelve round decision over legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera to effectively send the future Hall-of-Famer into retirement.

Judges Jerry Roth and Glenn Trowbridge had Pacquiao winner by a wide 118-109 margin but the third judge, Tom Schreck surprisingly saw it much closer but still had Pacquiao the winner 115-112.

Barrera’s game-plan was clearly put into survival mode from the opening bell and Pacquiao didn’t seem overeager to repeat the humiliating eleventh round demolition he inflicted on Barrera on November 15, 2003. There were those who believed that because he had to reduce three-and-a-half pounds to make the 130 pound limit at the official weigh-in, Pacquiao appeared to have lost some sting in his vaunted punching power.

However, the Filipino southpaw staggered Barrera with a cracking left in the eleventh round after which Barrera clinched and then hit Pacquiao in the break forcing referee Tony Weeks who had earlier cautioned the Mexican for head-butts and a low blow to deduct a point which turned the penultimate round into a 10-8 round for Pacquiao.

Despite Pacquiao’s speed, strength and aggression which was a little bit subdued compared to his trilogy with another Mexican legend Erik “El Terrible” Morales, he failed to overwhelm Barrera who boxed cautiously throughout content to go out with some deal of respect by staying on his feet at the end of the fight.

Songbird Kyla set the tone for the proceedings with a classy rendition of the Philippine National Anthem even as a smiling Pacquiao appeared to have recovered from the irritable mood he was in, on the eve of the weigh-in.

Pacquiao took the opening round but only just with a right hook to the body and then finished the second round with a good left after a furious but brief exchange. Barrera fought back in the third round and then caught Pacquiao with an elbow in the fourth but Pacquiao answered with a couple of solid shots to the head. The fifth round was close as both men once again traded vicious shots in one burst. It was Barrera’s best round at that point.

Pacquiao stormed back in the sixth stanza with a series of vicious combinations before the pace slackened in the seventh as both fighters appeared to be preserving their energy for the second half of the fight.

A good one-two combination by Barrera in round eight drew a flurry of punches from Pacquiao in the ninth. At the end of round ten Pacquiao was seen smiling as celebrated trainer Freddie Roach was giving him instructions in his corner and then launched a typical whirlwind assault in the penultimate round that had Barrera groggy. In the final round Pacquiao, confident of victory, didn’t take any risks and neither did Barrera who didn’t let his hands go despite pleadings from his trainer and brother Jorge who knew his only chance for victory was a knockout.

In a post fight interview Pacquiao said he was “careful of Barrera’s use of his head” even as admitted that the Mexican icon was “still strong and not an easy opponent.” Pacquiao said Barrera “never really hurt me,” but said he respected him.

Vice president Noli de Castro who was at special ringside and was invited into the ring said “we are proud of Pacquiao and we are proud of the Filipinos, the real winners.”

Pacquiao gave no indication of who his next opponent would be saying he only wanted to return to the Philippines and celebrate his victory. At the same time he made it clear that whether he trains in the Philippines as he did for the rematch with Barrera or at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach will depend on who his opponent will be.

Roach himself had a talk with Barrera in the ring after both fighters had embraced and tapped the Mexican affectionately on the head. Roach later praised Barrera for “showing a lot of heart and guts.”

While the Pacquiao-Barrera fight was on, the streets were almost deserted and even though some diehard supporters were disappointed that he didn’t win by a knockout or TKO, Pacquiao proved he was capable of engaging in a slugfest or out-boxing an opponent of the caliber of Barrera.



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Generation Two


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