30
SPORTS
SPECTATOR
By Al Mendoza
AS clear as Trump’s torrid hatred
of migrants, Manny Pacquiao won
his 70th fight convincingly (61st
win) on Sunday in Las Vegas,
Nevada.
And, as clear as Dugong’s
dislike of illegal drugs, Adrien
Broner lost his 38th fight, bowing
unmistakably on points to
Pacquiao after 12 rounds at the
MGM Grand.
There was no knockout win for
Pacquiao as predicted by almost
everybody that included no less
than Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s
chief trainer of 17 years.
Before Sunday, not even a
single knockdown had befallen
Broner, who proved to be rock-
solid and survived Pacquiao’s most
telling blows not once but twice in
a fight that, in the end, had more
questions than answers.
Broner was on the verge of
knockdowns in the seventh and
ninth rounds. How he managed
to hang on and stay on his feet
PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY January 16 - 31, 2019
Get ready for Pacquiao versus
Mayweather this year
puzzled practically every
boxing pundit.
Could be that Broner
is tough as nails as
advertised?
Even then, against
a legend like Pacquiao,
almost everyone fell from
the fighting senator’s fists
once one got hit.
So, could be that
Pacquiao has lost his true
power of old, had been
robbed, finally, by Father
Time of his sting from his
punches?
While
admittedly,
Pacquiao still showed some
spring in his knees, seemingly,
though, his 40-year-old fists had
been dulled by time? Wear and
tear?
Oh, yes, I also predicted
a knockout win for Pacquiao,
happening between the fourth and
ninth rounds. It almost happened.
But I also said that if the fight lasted
12 rounds, Pacquiao would win by
unanimous decision. It happened.
Ahem! I won a free lunch.
Judges Tim Cheatham and
Glen Feldman both scored it 116-
112 and Dave Moretti 117-111—all
for Pacquiao. Mine was also 117-
111 for Pacquiao, giving Rounds
4, 6 and 10 to Broner.
But even as I’m also not too
proud of the win like Valentin
Dakuykoy, it was good enough if
only to keep the talks of a Pacman-
Mayweather rematch alive.
And it must materialize this
year. At their age—Pacquiao is 40
and Mayweather 42 on Feb. 24—
time could be running out.
We don’t want to see a fight
featuring a pair of hobbling senior
citizens, don’t we?
Ted Failon, the multi-awarded
radio-TV superstar, might puke.
Mighty five leaves for Dubai meet
ARMED with an improved
confidence, Mighty Sports leaves
today for Dubai in the United Arab
Emirates determined to figure
prominently in the tough 30th
Dubai International Basketball
Championship at the Sbabab Al
Ahli Club.
The 10-club tournament opens
on Friday, with coach Chris Tiu and
team owner Alex Wongchuking
hoping the addition of former LA
Lakers mainstay Lamar Odom and
Chinese league veteran Randolph
Morris and the presence of exciting
Fil-Am players like Jason Brickman
and Roosevelt Adam will help the
team get off to a winning start.
And perhaps put behind the
ugly memory of the team’s initial
foray in the tourney two years
ago.
“Though our team is still a work
in progress, we will go to Dubai
with a mission of slaying the ghost
of 2017,” said Wongchuking. “It’s
a tough mission but I am confident
they will do their best to give honor
to our country.”
The 2017 team, backstopped
by 7-foot-3 Hasheem Thabeet
and Justin Brownlee, managed
just one win in seven games. The
squad bungled three winning
opportunities.
Having experienced the kind
of play in the annual tournament
considered as one of the region’s
most prestigious meet, Brownlee
is hoping his second tour of duty
will yield good results.
“We’ll do our best to win
the championship,” said the
charismatic import of Ginebra in
the PBA.
Though Odom is still struggling
with his rhythm, Tiu remained
hopeful the 6-foot-10 NBA veteran
can help the team – backed by
SMDC, Go For Gold, Healthcube
and Oriental group – in other
ways.
Beefing up the team are
American Randolph Morris, a
veteran of the Chinese league, and
exciting Fil-Ams in Jason Brickman
and Roosevelt Adams.
“The team is improving and
even the locals are doing OK,” Tiu
said after the team scored a 98-97
win over Magnolia in their tune-up
game last Tuesday.
Tiu was referring to crafty UP
guard Juan Gomez de Lianno who
sizzled for 16 points.
Brickman is the same player
who helped Mighty Sports win the
Jones Cup title three years ago via
an 8-game sweep.
“He will play a big role in the
team and he’s going to be the
stabilizer. He can drop long bombs
at any given time,” said assistant
team manager Edrick Ferrer.
Also in the team are former
pros Joseph Yeo and Jett Manuel,
Gab Banal, College of St. Benilde’s
Justin Gutang, Santy Santillan and
Angelo Wongchuking.
Xavier star Woody Co, Ateneo’s
Dean Castano and multi-titled
Jong Uichico are assisting Tiu.
(Malaya)
Palace enjoins gov’t agencies to work for success of SEAG
MALACANANG has ordered all
government agencies, including
state-owned corporations, to help
ensure the success of the country’s
hosting of the 30th Southeast
Asian Games later this year.
Executive Secretary Salvador
Medialdea, in signing Memorandum
Order 56 last January 25 on behalf
of President Duterte, said all
government agencies, including
government-owned or controlled
corporations,
must
provide
support to the Philippine Sea
Games Organizational Committee
Foundation Inc. in the preparation,
organization and holding of the
international sports event.
The issuance also urged local
government units, non-government
organizations,
schools,
and
business groups to cooperate and
support the successful conduct of
the SEA Games in the Philippines
from November 30 to December SEA Games and all preparatory
11, 2019.
and relevant competitions.”
It added that the Philippine
Sports
Commission,
the
Philippine Olympic Committee
and all concerned national sports
associations shall also coordinate
and support each other “for
the effective preparation and
successful participation of the
Philippine delegates in the 30th
WWW.PHILIPPINEASIANNEWSTODAY.COM
“The successful hosting of
the 30th SEA Games requires the
involvement, coordination and
support of concerned government
agencies, the different national
sports associations, and the private
sector,” the memorandum read.(J.
Montemayor, Malaya)