They all wanted to be like Manny Pacquiao.
With lightning-fast speed and bone-crushing power at his disposal, and his billions, what fool would decline to be Pacquiao’s clone?
Add to that a record eight division titles and the enviable tag as boxing’s pound-for-pound king, Pacquiao simply is a boxing gem so perfectly polished.
ALA Gym’s best fighters, including a world champion and some regional titlists who watched the Pacquiao-Shane Mosley world title fight yesterday at the Radisson Blu Hotel, as well as some boxing pundits, saw in graphic detail the reasons why Pacquiao is simply a cut above the rest.
And although the boxers have made their respective marks in the ring, they all agree that watching Manny Pacquiao fight is an experience almost surreal with strokes of a genius not unlike Picasso.
Here’s what they have to say about Pacquiao’s 12-round demolition of three division champion Mosley:
Donnie Nietes
“12 rounds jud ‘to siya na laban especially sa style ni (Shane) Mosley na sige lang ug dagan. Katong sa decision sa referee nga knockdown ni Pacquiao, ma-suspenso jud siya ato. Dili jud ‘to maayo na decision. Tukmod man ‘to, dili man ‘to knockdown.”
AJ Banal
“Expect jud ko na magdugay si Mosley especially kay iya man gina-control ang kada round with his backing away from Manny. Pero wala lagi challenge sad ang laban. Dili magsilbi si Mosley.”
Michael Domingo
“Nahadlok na man si Mosley after sa third round, where he got knocked down. Dili na man siya mu-engage kay Manny. Gusto lang niya mu-survive. Kwarta ra may iya. Kay kung ni-engage pa siya, dili ‘to kaabot ug four rounds na laban.”
Roli Gasca
“Si Mosley, nahadlok man uy. Nisukol ra sa sugod. Kung nisukol pa ‘to siya taman sa taman, basin diay naka-chamba pa siya. Sige ra man siya ug atras. Bitin kaayo na pagtan-aw.”
Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista
“Boring kaayo ang style ni Mosley. Nakatilaw lang ug sakit, nitalaw na man.”
Edmund Villamor-Trainer ALA Promotions
“Mosley fought to survive but he felt Manny’s stinging punches.
Edito Villamor-Chief Trainer ALA Promotions.
“Hadlok na daan si Mosley sukad pa pagsugod, samot na pag ka knockdown niya sa third round.”
WBC Youth Intercontinental flyweight champion Milan “El Mitodico” Milendo
“Ok ra man ang dula ni Manny Pacquiao. Maklaro man nga nasakitan jud si Mosley niya kay kusog jud iyang gi pang buhi-ang sumbag”
Top Rank light middleweight prospect Mark Jason Melligen.
“Kung ako si Pacquiao, dili jud ko satisfied sa akong dula, dagan-daganan lang ko sa akong kontra, pero gibawi ni Manny ang dula kay gilingaw niya ang mga tawo”
WBO Minimumweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes
“Nakulangan jud ko sa gipakita nilang dula tungod ni Mosley unya sige lang jud siya ug dagan-dagan”
WBO Asia Pacific Bantamweight champion Aj “Bazooka” Banal
“Walay challenge si Mosley. Expected na jud to siya nga dili kaayo mosumbag”
OPBF flyweight champion Rocky “The Road Warrior” Fuentes
“Nalingaw ko pero mura man ug naluoy si Manny ni Mosley.”
CITOM chairman Sylvan “Jack” Jakosalem
“We already expected that both fighters fought defensively but a lot of Filipinos will be disappointed of Mosley’s showing. I was not surprised that the referee (Kenny Bayless) scored a knockdown for Mosley because of his angle inside the ring.” /sports editor rick gabuya with correspondents jonas panerio and dale rosal