Manny Pacquiao’s victory.

Every Filipino blogger has something to say about Manny Pacquiao’s victory over Oscar Dela Hoya in the fight dubbed as “The Dream Match” yesterday. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have anything against them; even the peanut vendor or the bus conductor I came across on my trip to Bulacan yesterday have something to say about this fight.

I don’t want to be left behind and betray this blog’s slogan (celebrating Filipino pride…) Manny Pacquiao indeed is a Filipino pride and he deserves the accolades that he is getting. He has given every Filipino something to be proud of after his 8th round TKO of the Golden Boy.

I will reserve my own sentiments on Manny Pacquiao’s victory on my next posts. The post-fight analysis of the peanut vendor and the bus conductor that I overheard yesterday was more amusing.

The bus conductor said that Dela Hoya lost because of the age and weight loss factor. He simply can not keep up with the speed and agility of the Filipino boxing hero. Pacquiao controlled the fight, and dominated his opponent on every round. In his own words: “Matanda na kasi e, mahina na… hindi umubra sa bilis ni Pacman.”

The peanut vendor, however, has a different point of view. He said that it looks like Dela Hoya deliberately lost the fight. He said that he saw the glory days of this Mexican boxer and the Golden boy he saw action yesterday was too far from the usual caliber of Dela Hoya. “Pera-pera lang yan, halata namang ibinenta e, halos hindi tumatama ang mga suntok ni Dela Hoya,” the peanut vendor said with such gusto that his false teeth almost fell off his peanuts.

For whatever’s worth, the lackluster performance of Oscar Dela Hoya should not belittle Manny Pacquaio’s triumph. He definitely trained and prepared for the fight and he came out victorious. I have my own misgivings about his victory but he is the man of the hour, I don’t want to take that away from him… Mabuhay ka, PacMan!