Kit Zeron Garces, who will compete in the 49-kilogram division of the 2015 Palarong Pambansa secondary boxing, practices with his trainer.
CDN PHOTO/CALVIN D. CORDOVA
Tagum City— Floyd “Money” Mayweather may have claimed his 48th straight win with a unanimous win over Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao on Sunday but for this group of young promising boxers from the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA), it was the Filipino boxing hero who was the better boxer.
“I think Manny won. All Mayweather did was run,” said Kit Zeron Garces, who will compete in the 49-kilogram division of the 2015 Palarong Pambansa secondary boxing.
“Manny was the aggressive fighter. He was the one who pressured Mayweather a lot,” added Garces, a silver winner in last year’s Palaro.
Gerwin Asilo, who will debut in the Palaro in the 40-kg division, said Pacquiao made Mayweather a punching bag.
“Pacquiao was busy throwing punches while Mayweather was busy running,” said Asilo. “We can’t do nothing about it, we just have to accept the decision. It’s part of the game.”
Lloyd Javes Antoque, a gold medal winner in the Palaro for two straight years, said Pacquiao showed tremendous speed and footwork.
“He showed us how to deal with taller and bigger opponent. His head movement was superb,” said Antoque, who will compete in the 42-kg division.
Even the team’s coach Judy Carollo believed that Pacquiao won the fight billed as the Fight of the Century.
“For me, Pacquiao was ahead in points. It was a hometown decision,” said Carollo.
But not all of the five-man team was for Pacquiao.
“I am happy that Mayweather won. I like his style. Its amateurish because he keeps on running,” said Jan Nino Vega, who will compete in the 38-kg division.