Crowd cheer in every punch Manny Pacquiao throws to Floyd Mayweather (CDN PHOTO/ TONEE DESPOJO)
Charlie Barte, 54, decided to sing his blues away after the heart-breaking loss of his idol, Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.
Barte, who used to be an overseas Filipino worker, sang “Beer” by the band Itchyworms while drinking beer because he was dismayed by the decision.
“I show my disappointment by singing,” said Barte, a resident of barangay Mambaling in Cebu City.
Barte installed a pay-per-view connection to his 55-inch television set, which he placed in his garage with two large speakers so his neighbors could also see the fight.
He said he didn’t mind paying the P2,500 per-per-view fee although he was disappointed by the results of the bout.
Across the Visayas, cheers and jubilation turned to shock, disgust and anger after boxing icon Manny Pacquiao lost by unanimous decision to American Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Most of Pacquiao’s supporters could not comprehend how Mayweather won the match despite evading Pacquiao in most of the 12 rounds.
At the convention hall of the JSU PSU Mariners Court in Cebu city, fans booed when Mayweather was proclaimed winner. Most of them remained in their seats after the fight in disbelief.
At the auditorium of the Armed Forces Central Command (Centcom) at Camp Lapu-Lapu in Cebu City, soldiers and families were all quiet in disbelief, according to Centcom spokesperson, Lt. Commander Jim Aris Alagao.
SHOCKED
Even the Cebuanos who watched the match in Las Vegas were shocked with the outcome.
Restaurateur Joel Rama del Prado, who was with Cebu businessmen at the MGM Grand, said he predicted before the fight that Pacquiao must knock out Mayweather for the Filipino boxer to win.
“Our spirits are down. We can’t believe Mayweather to be running and then winning the fight. But as I said, I predicted it right,” he said.
In Iloilo City, hundreds of Pacquiao supporters who were earlier shouting “attack” and “sige (go) when Pacquiao relentlessly pursued Mayweather in the ring, jeered and booed when Mayweather was announced the winner.
“Mayweather was mostly running away. But he won? Pacquiao should have won the fight because we all saw how his punches landed,” said Tony Jallares, one of the hundreds who watched the match at the SM City cinemas.
REMATCH
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who watched a live pay-per-view show at the Parklane Hotel, described Mayweather’s victory as a “hometown decision.”
“Yes, I am disappointed because Pacquiao, from the very beginning, was showing his skill. When the world is not satisfied, there’s going to be a rematch,” he said.
At the Cebu Capitol, Gov. Hilario Davide III watched the fight on two wide video screens with employees and their families at the social hall.
“I still believe Manny won. I’m not an analyst, but I saw how Mayweather kept hugging Manny and running away.”
Former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña, who watched the fight in Las Vegas, said Mayweather won “fair and square.”
“It is obvious that Manny hurt Mayweather much more than Mayweather hurt Manny, but in boxing, that doesn’t matter. The judges considered Manny’s solid punches to be worth just as much as Mayweather’s mini-jabs and in the end, Mayweather landed many, many more,” he said in a post on his official Facebook page.
But Filipinos should still be proud of Pacquiao, said Osmeña.
“Loyalty is defined not by those who stick by us when we’re at our best, but by those who are still with us even when we’re down. Manny Pacquiao entered this fight on his opponent’s terms, with a massive five-inch reach disadvantage and yet, he still fought with all his heart. He is not the boxing champ tonight, but in my mind, he is still THE CHAMP, and I know many of us are still proud to call him our own,” Osmeña added.
ZERO CRIME
No crimes were reported in Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue cities as well as in the towns of Consolacion and Cordova during the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight yesterday.
The streets were empty, except for a few motorists.
Most Cebuanos were in pay-per-view venues or at barangay gyms to watch the fight.
Around 5,000 people flocked to the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City while the barangay gyms in Mactan and Banag were filled to the rafters.
Police and medical personnel were on standby. No untoward incidents were reported.
After the fight, some boxing fans who were disappointed by the fight didn’t bother to wait for the announcement of the winner.