January 16 - 31, 2019
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY
SPORTS
29
All’s well with
Pacquiao’s eyes
(On Board PR Flight 113) -- I’m
okay, my eyes are okay. May konting
injury lang.
Thus declared Filipino World Box-
ing Association welterweight champi-
on Manny Pacquiao Tuesday as he al-
layed fears that he had suffered career
threatening injury to his left eye in an
aftermath of his 12-round lopsided ti-
tle victory over challenger Adrien Bro-
ner on Saturday at the MGM Grand
Arena.
“Minor lang naman ang injury.
Sabi ng doctor na-scratch lang,” Pac-
quiao told this writer in a telephone
interview before the latter took his
Philippine Airlines flight bound for
Manila.
Pacquiao, according to his doc-
tor, as reported his senate informa-
tion officer Aquiles Zonio, suffered a
scratched cornea in his left eye dur-
ing his one-sided over Amerian title
pretender on Saturday night (Sunday
in Manila) at the MGM Grand in Las
Vegas.
“The fans need not worry. It’s
nothing serious,” Pacquiao assured.
“Medyo sumakit lang konti, kasi a-
scratch daw left cornea ng mata ko.
Ngayon naman okay na.”
” In fact, nakapanood na ako ng
NBA game kagabi between Golden
State Warriors and Los Angeles Lak-
ers sa Staple Center,” he said.
Pacquiao, it was earlier reported,
complaining of a slight pain and par-
tially impaired vision involving his left
eye after the fight.
He allayed arler reports (not in
the Manila Times) that he may have
sustained a detached retina, a serious
eye injury in which the retina becomes
separated from the eyeball, that may
cause loss of vision.
The now 40-year-old Philippine
senator, likewise, denied the injury
was caused by a punch from Broner.
Pacquiao he had suffered the
same injury in his previous fights.
“Pero wala namang masamang nang-
yari. Gumaling agad after a few days.
Normal na nangyari yan sa laban.”
Pacquiao came to the post-fight
press conference wearing dark glass-
es but never mentioned the injury.
When Pacquiao and his team
returned home Sunday evening, he
owns in Los Angeles on Sunday, it was
discovered it had been burglarized.
Lessons Broner could’ve learned in futile bid vs Pacquiao
World
Boxing
Association
welterweight
champion
Manny
Pacquiao’s defeated challenger Adrien
Broner might have failed in his bid
to dethrone the Filipino belt-owner
in their title encounter Sunday last
week, but there were lessons he could
have learned to diminish the impact
of humiliation he suffered from the
hands of his conqueror.
During the second stop of the
media tour in Los Angeles to promote
the coming fight, for instance, Broner
taunted the reigning champ on his
Asian heritage took issues with the
media and made disgusting joke
about Freddie Roach.
The fighting senator from the
Philippines instead of returning the
compliments gave the Cincinnati
Kid by just smiling and shot back
chuckling: “Broner’s a funny guy. I
think after his boxing career, he could
have another career as a comedian.
I don’t get upset about the jokes. I
can’t help but laugh when I look at his
face.”
In the final press conference held
two days before the title showdown,
the trash-talking Broner transformed
the occasion to an exchange
of profanities with Hall of Fame
broadcaster Al Bernsteiln.
Pacquiao, in his turn to speak
cited a verse in the Bible calling for
calm and sobriety.
The Philippines, pride, again, sent
Broner back to school, this time
giving him a neat lesson in aggressive
boxing resulting in a unanimous
decision victory in the process, at age
40, kept his 147-pound diadem safe
up his sleeves.
But during the traditional post-
fight news conference the vanquished
fighter cried foul, claiming he was
robbed of victory and the much-
coveted crown, the
eight-division
champ
merely shrugged off
the silly accusation off
and pointed the fight
statistics, copies of
which were handed-
out to both camps and
members of media.
The official records
showed, among others,
Pacquiao landing 112
of 568 total punches
thrown, 371 jabs and
82 o 197 power shots
thrown.
Broner, on the
other hand, could only
connect with 50 of total
punches thrown, 11 of 115 jabs and
39 of 180 power shots given. The
challenger’s 50 shits connection was
his career low for a 12-round fight. He
never landed in a double-digit punch
in every round.
Manny improved his body and jab
attacks as 42% of his landed punches
were body shots after landing 20.2%
in his previous five fights.
Manny averaged 30.9 jabs thrown
per round after averaging 17.9 in his
previous 5 fights.
Records completely showed
Pacquiao was still dominant at 40
years old. The 29-year-old Broner’s
post-fight claim he won the fight was
one hundred percent unfounded,
preposterous and ‘delusional by
almost all media outfits. ’
Judges Tim Cheatham and
Glenn Feldman saw the defending
titlist winning in identical 116-112
decisions. The third judge Dave
Moretti saw the Filipino belt-owner
the winner, too, 117-111.
The Manila Times gave Pacquiao
10 rounds and Broner only two.
By: Julian Ray Fortaleza
Answers from last week’s issue:
1. Amanda Nunes is now a 2-division champion
2. West Bromwich Albion play at The Hawthorns
3. Jay Beagle and Louie Eriksson are both 33
New Questions:
1. How old is Elias Pettersson?
2. Where do the BC Lions play?
3. Who did Billy Joe Saunders beat to win his first world title?
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