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Cebu was one in celebrating Manny Pacquiao’s scintillating seventh-round knockout victory over Argetinian Lucas ‘El Maquina’ Matthysse in the main event of the Fight of Champions at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia yesterday.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who watched the fight together with city residents at the Cebu City Sports Complex, said he was hoping for a Pacquiao win but did not expect the Filipino boxing legend to knock his opponent out considering his age.
“I’m so proud of Manny. I would not expect to have four knockouts considering that he is old now. But we were hopeful that he will win, but this is something else, he just did knock the other guy out, the other guy ran out of skill. Kinsa may tiguwang aning fight, dili si Manny uy (Who is not old in this fight? Definitely not Manny),” Osmena told reporters.
Osmeña flew to General Santos City last Wednesday, before Pacquiao left for Malaysia, to personally wish him well and good luck.
Michael Aldeguer, CEO of the Cebu-based ALA Promotions International, was also impressed with Pacquiao’s performance.
“Manny looked amazing at 39 and should continue his career,” Aldeguer said. “Matthysse was a respected champion with tremendous power but Manny made him look ordinary.”
ALA Promotions International matchmaker Edito Villamor agreed, saying Pacquiao “simply outclassed Matthyse.”
“There was no way Matthysse could win that fight. I knew Pacquiao [was going to] win via a knockout because of the one-sided rounds he had. He was more careful in this fight knowing that Matthyse is a power puncher. His team executed their game plan very well,” he said.
Tabogon Mayor Zigfried Duterte said he was proud of what Pacquiao has achieved.
“[He brings] honor and glory to all of us Filipinos,” the mayor said in a text message.
Who’s next?
With the convincing victory, many believe Pacquiao still has enough left in his tank for more fights.
“Manny still has the power, he can still fight as many fights as he can,” said Christopher “Ping Ping” Tepora, the head trainer of the Big Yellow Boxing Gym.
So who should be his next opponent?
“For me his next fight should be against (Terrence) Crawford, who is the WBO world welterweight champion,” Tepora said.
But Aldeguer had another suggestion.
“Manny’s next fight should be against Amir Khan before they give him Vasyl Lomachenko or Terrence Crawford as the bigger fights for him,” he said.
“But Manny doesn’t need to fight those big names anymore. He has nothing to prove. Manny will go down as one of the best fighters in the history regardless of what he wants to do next. He has done so much for our country.”
Although he knows Pacquiao has limited time in boxing given his age, Osmeña said he is looking forward to see Pacquiao fight Jeff Horn of Australia, who beat the Filipino champion in July last year.
“Let’s face it, he cannot hold it forever, I am just so happy that when everyone said he’s finished, (he won). I would like him to fight the Australian again, I think he will beat him,” the mayor said.
Another name that floated was that of Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who Pacquiao lost to in 2015.
Former IBF world light flyweight champion Milan Melindo believes Pacquiao deserves a rematch with the unbeaten Mayweather.
“I want a Mayweather-Pacquiao 2. There’s no way Pacquiao will retire after this fight,” Melindo said.
Free viewing
Meanwhile, unlike in the past Pacman fights where almost all the streets in Cebu City were empty of vehicles, there was traffic, albeit light, in the downtown and uptown areas in Cebu City.
Die-hard Pacquiao fans however opted to flock to the Cebu City Sports Center’s complex to avail of the free viewing of the fight sponsored by the Cebu City government.
Couple, Delia and Romeo Reyes, 63 and 65, respectively, said they were glad that the city government sponsored a free viewing for the city’s residents. Romeo said they used to pay for viewing at different hotels in the city every time Pacquiao had a fight.
Mandaue City also offered free public viewing at its Heritage Plaza using a giant LED outdoor screen. An estimated 2,000 people, based on Bantay Mandaue monitoring, watched the fight. /with a report from Norman Mendoza and Jessa Mae O. Sotto