EPCC NEWS
April 13, 2015

Fearless Forecasts

By Arturo P. Garcia

Many sports analyst and even managers, promoters, trainers have give their fearless forecast on the coming Manny” Pacman” Pacquiao and Floyd “Money” Mayweather coming fight in Las Vegas on May 2.

Maybe my ten cents worth of analysis as a sports editor is not an additional burden to think about.

I have followed Manny Pacquiao’s fight from the time I noticed his fighting style when I saw him on TV in Las Vegas many years ago. He was bloodied but he kept of boxing and gave his opponent a run for his money.

I saw in him the spirit of a Filipino fighter; may he be a soldier, a poet, an activist. He embodied the Filipino fighting spirit of never surrender and from then on, I followed his boxing career path.

On the other hand, I also followed Floyd Mayweather’s boxing career. That is the advantage of having cable TV. I do not subscribe just to see him, but I am an ardent student of history and a sports buff, that is why, to know is “ to be forearmed, it to be forewarned.”

I saw in Mayweather a shrewd fighter. He is a defensive fighter and that is his edge. In Tagalog, “Magulang lumaban” Other analyst even some Filipinos partial to Pacquiao because he is a kababayan, says “Mayweather plays dirty.”

A common saying but also an excuse if someone does not win. And I don’t go for that . I always want to see the fight before I make a judgement.

On the other hand, I saw the evolution of Pacquiao from a “bara-bara” or “labang kanto” fighter to a methodical and wise fighter. That is after his sorry loss by knock-out in 2011 by his perennial opponent Mexican slugger Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez.

He also evolved from a Catholic devotee ( maybe because of Nanay Dionisia prodding of faith) to a Charismatic pastor ( maybe because of Jinkee’s faith) .

My Catholic pastor at St. Columban’s Chruch blame Jinkee, Manny’s wife for Pacquaio’s change of faith. Jinkee is a Protestant that is why. But maybe it was for the good, because his days of philandering may have ended. And that was good for his career. He is now, as many says, a man of God.

But this being a “man of God” also carries a lot of woes for Pacquiao. This is another added distraction. From ABS ( Alak-Babae-Sugal) became a man of God. Nanay Dionisia even went public to denounce many pastors who extracted money from Pacquiao.

To add more distractions, Pacquiao added basketball to his hobbies and his troubles with the BIR on his unpaid taxes that haunt him until today. He is up against a straight shooter Kim Henares who is a lawyer-accountant. On that ring he has no match. He must pay up, and he cannot be like Judas who does not pay.

But going back to our upcoming fight analysis, I agree both have strong and weak points. Mayweather is banking on his defensive skills and for five long years, he waited out so Pacquiao can spend himself and cannot get back his “knock-out power” or his “ killer instinct.” On the ring. He believes it is gone because as a pastor, Pacman has become soft and forgiving in the ring.

On the other hand. Even Freddie Roach, Pacman’s devoted coach wanted that “killer instinct back. Thus he focused a lot on Manny’s leg so it will not freeze or give way and can maintain a footwork that can match his speed of his hands. Thus he can fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee.

Watching Mayweather-Cotto fight of a long time ago, Mayweather managed to win by points defensively and was not able to knockdown Cotto,on the other hand was given a beating by Pacquaio who knocked him down for several times.

Like many other analyst, Mayweather like shrugged it off as a thing of the past. But for me, the living past is a prediction of the present and the future.

I agree with analyst that in order for Pacman to win convingcingly, he must beat Money with all the power he got. By a knockdown or a knock-out is better. But if he can bloodied him and punish him for all what he says and all his father said against him and Freddie Roach, that’s much better.

And I also agree. Mayweather is the favorite and if he does methodical-defensive fighting and avoid being knocked down or knocked out, he can win by decision. Then be as it does. he can always says, “win because he was born and was taught to win.”

All I can say is that the test of all analysis is the fight I the ring. All the fearless forecast is made for the media hype so everybody talks about it. I can even now, all the fearless forecast are shit in the sheets.

But as a Filipino, I am still for Pacquiao because he carries our colors. Don’t call me a racist, i will make it clear, I am a nationalist, thus I am for the Pacman.

Besides as Muhammad Ali said, “ he is the better fighter, not only as a boxer but an individual.”

***

ANNOUNCEMENT

April 09, 2015

The members oi the Board of FACLA hereby announce the extension of the filing of Candidacy and Election of the Members of COMELEC.

The new deadline of the filing of Certificate of Candidacy shall be May 15, 2015

The Elections of the Members of the COMELEC shall be May 31, 2015 at 3:00 PM.

Qualifications of a Candidate:

1.He/She must be at least twenty one (21) years of age, he/she must be a legal resident of the County of Los Angeles.

2. He/She must be a member in good standing for at least one (1) year before the Elections of Commissioners.

3> He/She must at least knowledge of the Elections Laws and U.S. Constitution and must at least have some legal background.

Austin Baul Jr.
President/CEO