Bigger fights for Pacquiao, dark clouds over billiards
By DENNIS GASGONIA, abs-cbnNEWS.com | 12/28/2008 7:15 PM
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Editor's note: This is the sixth in our series of year beginners.
Manny Pacquiao’s decisive victory over 10-time world champion Oscar de la Hoya has saved Philippine sports from a depressing closure of 2008, a year filled with string of disappointing finishes in the international arena.
Pacquiao’s triumph instantly erased the nightmares left by the Philippines’ failed foray into the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the losses of boxers Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista and AJ Banal, the internal strife within the RP billiards community, so on and so forth.
So now we set our sights to the coming year. What does 2009 have in store for our heavy-fisted hero from General Santos City?
Bigger fights, heftier purse
Pacquiao’s dominating performance against de la Hoya has proved that there is a lot left in his tank, so much unspent fuel that can propel him to fight at least three or more fights before retirement.
Local boxing analysts see our hero having possible matches in 2009 against two other international superstars: Britain’s Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton and retired pound-for-pound king Floyd “Pretty Boy” Mayweather Jr.
Pacquiao is inclined to meet Hatton at the 140-pound division (junior welterweight), after his successful bout against de la Hoya at 147 level (welterweight).
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is likely to decide between the United Kingdom, where throngs of loyal Hatton fans reside, and Dubai, which is heavily populated by overseas Filipino workers.
The other possible match will be against Mayweather Jr. who is reportedly considering to don his boxing gloves to face Pacquiao.
Should Pacquiao accept a possible challenge from Mayweather, they might slug it out at a catch weight somewhere between 140 to 147 pounds.
However, fight analysts see the foremost Filipino boxer facing a tougher challenge against the unbeaten Mayweather, who is also known for his killer speed.
In his Dream Match with de la Hoya, Pacquiao stands to receive a guaranteed purse of at least $6 million, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission. This is aside from the agreed 35 percent of the pay-per-view earnings; 65 percent went to de la Hoya.
Now that he’s won against the most marketable figure in boxing today, fight analyst Ronnie Nathanielsz predicted that it will be sky’s the limit for Pacquiao. This means he can demand a fight purse bigger than $6 million, a mind boggling amount for Filipino boxers.
Beyond 2009
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Before fighting de la Hoya, Pacquiao had already voiced out the possibility of retiring by the end of 2009. He plans to make another attempt at politics in 2010.
Apparently, this plan began taking shape before he left for the US to train against de la Hoya. Quezon City 2nd district Rep. Annie Rosa Susano admitted offering Pacquiao to run for the seat she will vacate in 2010.
Susano said she made the offer a week before the boxer left for training for the “Dream Match” with Oscar de la Hoya.
The QC representative offered her Novaliches residence to Pacquiao so the boxing champ can establish residence in the district. Susano said the 29-year-old General Santos native will be endorsed by Lakas-CMD and Kampi.
Pacquiao, however, visited the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Kiamba, Sarangani just days after his return from the US. He registered himself as a voter in the province.
He said he will be gunning for a congressional post in Sarangani.
“Preparasyon ito para sa 2010," Pacquiao referred to his Comelec visit. “Plano kong tumakbo... Sarangani ang gusto ko,” said the fighter.
RP billiards shake up
In billiards, the year 2008 saw the Philippine scene in shambles over a rift between the country’s world-class cue masters and the local pool governing body.
The split led to the formation of the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), composed of veteran pool masters Efren “Bata” Reyes, Francisco “Django” Bustamante, Ronato “The Volcano” Alcano, Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan and several others.
Members of BMPAP are up in arms against the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) recognized body, Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP), whose officers were accused of abuse of power.
The BSCP, however, claimed that BMPAP merely wanted to take over the affairs of the Philippine pool.
WPA officials stepped in and urged both parties to settle their differences.
World 10-ball without ‘Bata and co.’
The division has complicated WPA-sanctioned matches in the Philippines, particularly the inaugural world 10-ball championship which was partly organized by the BSCP.
BMPAP members shunned the world 10-ball tournament, leaving the likes of Marlon Manalo, Antonio Gabica and several local “unknowns” to face a host of foreign heavyweights such as Darryl Peach, Johnny Archer, Mika Immonen and Thorsten Hohmann.
Despite the absence of Reyes and his group, the BCSP managed to successfully hold the tournament, giving up-and-coming local talents like RP Junior champion Jerico Banares and formerly unheralded Demosthenes “Plong Plong” Pulpul their chance to shine.
BMPAP members, meanwhile, continued to compete abroad. They also participated in the first Senate President Manny Villar Cup tour which was held in several legs throughout the country.
A long way to go
Unless none of the two warring parties gives way, problems will continue for Philippine billiards in the year 2009.
BMPAP members will continue to boycott WPA-sanctioned competitions in the Philippines including the 2nd world 10-ball tournament sometime in September.
Members of BMPAP are expected to participate in international competitions aside from joining local tournaments beyond the sanction of BSCP.
