For the second time in less than two weeks, Hong Kong has hosted one of the biggest sporting stars on the planet, as legendary Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao followed hot on the heels of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi.
With hordes of people gathered at Statue Square in the bustling Central district on Sunday afternoon, you could have been forgiven for thinking the Occupy Central protests had gathered pace once more. However, the melee was all about getting a glimpse of the current WBO Welterweight champion, who was making his first ever visit to Hong Kong on a promotional tour for his title showdown – dubbed “the Clash in Cotai II” – with American Chris Algieri at the Venetian’s Cotai Arena in Macau on Nov. 22.
Pacquiao is the unrivalled national hero in his native Philippines, with tens of millions of people tuning into his every fight, no matter the time of day. So when arriving in Hong Kong – home to just under 170,000 Filipinos – he was sure to be mobbed.
He is the only man in history to have held titles across eight different divisions; he works as congressman of the Sarangani district; and he is player-coach for the Kia Sorento basketball team. Add that he and his wife have five kids, along with his numerous other commitments, and it’s clear to see why the Filipino Slugger is idolised.
Despite the adulation that is piled upon him in the Philippines, however, the Congressman seemed genuinely surprised that so many from his homeland turned out to see him on Sunday. “I was overwhelmed,” he told the SCMP. “I didn’t expect to see so many Filipinos in the streets. They were screaming…it was quite an experience.”
The next day, Pacquiao and his team, which includes Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum and Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, headed to the city’s EPIC MMA Club, where Manny held an open workout session in front of the media. There was a buzz around the ring as Ng Kuok Kun “The Macau Kid” (5-0, 2 KOs) and Hong Kong’s own Rex “The Wonder Kid” Tso (14-0, 9 KOs) went through their routines, but there was only one man everyone had come to see.
Like any true superstar, the PacMan afforded the right to keep people waiting – and that’s exactly what he did. Almost half an hour after scheduled, the fighting pride of the Philippines entered the gym to a welcoming round of applause, before posing for numerous photos, kicking and punching the air, and finally sparring with trainer Roach.
This was when the speed and power of the Filipino became truly apparent, as he mesmerised everyone in attendance with his rapid rain of punches, even grunting for effect. One observant Australian behind me was so impressed he felt impelled to blurt out, “Woah, I wouldn’t like to be on the receiving end of one of those.” You don’t say!
After a good 10-15 minutes of sparring, Manny’s men advised him that it was time to wrap the session up, but not before, much to the delight of those huddled round the ring (myself included), the boxing great happily posed for selfies with anyone unashamed enough to ask him.
Relaxed, cool, and apparently at ease with everyone, “The Mexicutioner” didn’t appear at all worried about his upcoming bout in Macau. Coincidently, the fight will mark almost a year to the day since Pacquiao’s one and only previous appearance at the Venetian, a win against the US’s Brandon Rios that saw him reclaim his current title.
So what of Chris Algieri, then? Well, he’s the WBO Light Welterweight champion, is three-and-a-half inches taller than Pacquiao and has a five-inch greater reach. He’s also won 20 out of 20 fights since turning professional… so it sounds like he’s in with a shout, right?
Wrong, according to Roach, who said that Pacquiao had been sparring with tall fighters to prepare for the fight, before mischievously telling Boxing Insider, “Some guys [that he sparred with] were better than our opponent.” Seems like someone’s already counting his chickens, so let’s give him a chance to rephrase what he said. “Sometimes the truth hurts,” was what followed.
Admittedly, Algieri has never fought outside the States, never mind someone of Pacquiao’s calibre, so he could well be on a hiding to nothing – huge pay cheque notwithstanding. And while Pacquiao is insisting he’s taking the fight seriously, despite his basketball, family and political commitments, his mind may well be on a showdown with rival Floyd Mayweather next year.
“I’m not taking this fight lightly,” he told the Daily Telegraph. “I know his [Algieri’s] hunger and he’s young and he wants to win the fight, but I will not let that happen. I have to focus on my next fight, but hopefully that [Mayweather] fight will happen by next year.”
The bad news for all you Coconuts boxing fans out there is that the big fight takes place on a Sunday morning – hardly ideal for those of you who enjoy a night on the town. My advice: watching one of the greatest boxers of all time is well worth waking up for. I might even do it myself!
Tickets can be booked online at www.cotaiticketing.com, or by phone at (+853) 2882-8818 (Macao) / (+852) 6333-6660 (HK). Tickets are also available through Hong Kong Ticketing (customer service fee applies), online at www.HKTicketing.com or by phone at +(852) 3128-8288. Prices range from HKD880 to a whopping HKD24,080.
