Pacquiao-Marquez Boxing Fight A Draw Says Congressman

by Joseph G. Lariosa

CHICAGO (jGLi) – A Philippine congressman, who has been placing “little bets” for his fellow Congressman Manny Pacquiao for the last eight Pacquiao’s fights, believes the welterweight championship fight last Saturday (Nov. 12) at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada between Manny Pacquiao and Mexican champion Juan Manuel Marquez did not really result in any clear winner.

Rep. Cesar G. Jalosjos of the 3rd District of Zamboanga del Norte told this reporter in an interview “The fight yesterday was very close. We expected Manny Pacquiao would really knockout Juan Manuel Marquez. The first fight (2004) was a draw and the second (2008) was split decision.

“Since that time Manny had faced taller and stronger opponents and Manny has leveled in his weight (welterweight) and should have had a better edge. What happened was there was really no strong punches from both.”

Mr. Jalosjos was one of the more than two dozens of Philippine congressmen who watch Pacquiao “to show their moral support for their colleague (Pacquiao).”

But because Marquez had delivered “heavier (more powerful) punches, we were expecting the result to be a draw,” according to the third-term congressman, who used to chair the Congressional committee on youth and sports during the 13th Congress.

And because Manny is the champion and he was aggressive and had gone after the challenger by advancing all the time, he got the benefit of the call although the counter-punching of Marquez was effective.

Both Manny and Marquez did not deliver the 1-2-3 punch as Marquez was counter-punching with 1-2.

The congressman who will turn 52 on Nov. 24 said his expenses for the trip to Las Vegas and the “little bets” he placed came from his own pocket. He said he had to secure authorization from House Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte to take the trip.

“It’s little nice to watch a game when you have a little bet on the fight. Imagine the odds of placing a bet of $1,000 for Manny, you only win $100.”

BOOING CANNOT BE HELPED

For his part, Gov. Rolando E. Yebes of Zamboanga del Norte said the majority decision win by Manny Pacquiao “was fair. In the first fight, Manny and Marquez fought to a draw; in the second, split decision for Manny; and in the third yesterday, “majority decision, talagang panalo (Manny really won) for Manny because of points. “

When asked about the “booing” of the crowd over the decision, the 62-year-old Governor in his last term, said “Ang booing ay hindi mawawala. Mas maraming Mexicano kesa sa mga Filipino ang nanood sa laban. Katabi ko pa nga Mexicano. Hinagisan pa nga kami ng tubig.” (Booing is part of the game. There were even more Mexicans than Filipinos who watched the fight in person. My seatmate was a Mexican. There were even some who pelted us with water.)
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Photo Caption:

Gov. Rolando E. Yebes of Zamboanga del Norte (third from left) smiles while Rep. Cesar G. Jalosjos (to Mr. Yebes’s left) of the 3rd District of Zamboanga del Norte, looks on at the presidential table during the 3rd Annual Fiesta Celebration of San Estanislao de Kostka at White Eagle Banquets and Restaurant at 6839 N. Milwaukee Ave., Niles, Illinois last Saturday, Nov. 13. Among those in photo from left are Maria Cyd Adriatico-Fernandez, ZAMNAI Chair of Special Events and Rev. Fr. Carlos Llagas. (jGLiPhoto by Joseph G. Lariosa)

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“Pinakamahirap na laban ito ni Manny. Kung bibigyan ng fourth time na magharap uli sila, mas mabuti para makita ng mga Mexicano (This is the hardest fight for Manny. If there will be a fourth fight between the two, it will show to Mexicans) that Manny won the fight.”

“Sa pagbibigay ni Manny ng karangalan sa Pilipinas, gusto ng mga Pinoy na panalo lagi si Manny. Pero si Manny ay hindi naman Superman.
(In giving honor to Filipinos, they (the Filipinos) always expect Manny to win. But Manny is not a Superman,” the governor added. He said that Manny couldn’t be accused of cheating either because none of the judges is a Filipino. In fact some of the American judges could be leaning more on the Mexicans than the Filipinos.

Mr. Yebes also said “Manny was sluggish (during the fight). He was trying to avoid the 1-2 counterpunch after he delivered the 1-2 combination, which used to be 1-2-3-4 punch because Manny was avoiding Marquez’ 1-2-3 counterpunch.”

BOXING WATCHING IS FORM OF RELAXATION

The governor said watching the Pacquiao is some form of relaxation for him and the expenses for his trip and his “small” bets came from his own personal pocket. “Not a cent came from the provincial government.”

Mr. Yebes also said when he bows out of his last term as governor in 2013, he will take pride with the completion of a 300-Million pesos (US$7.1-M), 300-bed state-of the art Zamboanga del Norte Hospital in Dipolog City and the 210-pesos (US$5-M), 7,000-seat sports complex.

Both Jalosjos and Yebes were guests at the 3rd Annual Fiesta Celebration of San Estanislao de Kostka at the White Eagle Banquets and Restaurant at 6839 N. Milwaukee Avenue in suburban Niles, Illinois.

In his seven-minute remark, Rep. Jalosjos said during the 2013 Senatorial and local elections, because he would be termed out, he will be running for governor of Zamboanga del Norte while Gov. Yebes, who will be also be in his last term as governor, will be running for the 3rd District of Zamboanga del Norte that he is going to vacate.

The fiesta was sponsored by Saint Estanislao Kostka College Alumni Association in Chicago, Illinois U.S.A. (SEKCAACI).  The Saint Estanislao Kostka College is the oldest educational institution in the town of Manukan, Zamboanga del Norte.

The fiesta was preceded by the blessing of the new statue of San Estanilao de Kostka and a mass celebrated by Rev. Fr. Carlos Llagas.

Lani Laurel Lagudas, president of SEKCAACI, delivered a message after Rep. Jalosjos and Gov. Yebes delivered theirs. Board Member Allan Ranillo of Zamboanga del Norte also delivered a message.

Ms. Maria Cyd Adriatico-Fernandez, chair of special events of ZAMNAI, was among the guests while Rodolfo “Boy” Bonjoc, Jr. helped provide entertainment. (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)

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