Pacquaio made 'Datu"

Pres. Arroyo confers the Order of Sikatuna with rank of Datu on the Filipino champ, assisted by his wife Jinkee during rites at the Quirino Grandstand. Willy Perez

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo yesterday conferred boxing hero Manny Pacquiao the Order of the Sikatuna, Rank of Datu, for winning a record seventh title in seven different weight divisions.

The award was the highest honor that can be given to a civilian under the law.

Pacquaio scored a 12th round TKO over Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto to capture the WBO welterweight crown at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas last Saturday for his seventh crown.

The Chief Executive led the rites at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila instead of Malacañang where these types of events usually take place.

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Pacquiao stops Cotto with unprecedented 7th weight class.

Blood sport

The face of Miguel Cotto shows the effect of the punches of Manny Pacquiao.

Jae C. Hong - Associated Press

Taking it on the chin

Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, right, reaches with a left at Miguel Cotto, of Puerto Rico, during their WBO welterweight boxing title fight Saturday in Las Vegas.

Jae C. Hong - Associated Press

Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines (C) poses for a photo with promoter Bob Arum (L) and trainer Freddie Roach after defeating Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico in a WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada today - Reuters pic

Las Vegas Saturday 14th Nov. Manny Pacquiao enhanced his status as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world with a commanding win over holder Miguel Cotto to claim the WBO welterweight title today.

The Filipino southpaw stopped his opponent 55 seconds into the 12th and final round to win a seventh world title in an unprecedented seventh weight class.

Pacquiao twice knocked the Puerto Rican to the canvas in the earlier rounds at the MGM Grand Garden Arena before referee Kenny Bayless ended the fight after Pacquiao had pummelled his opponent with a flurry of combinations against the ropes.

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Round by Round coverage Here

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Pacman prepares for Nov. 14 bout.

MANILA, Philippines (Philstar) – World’s best pound-for-pound fighter, Manny Pacquiao sparred six rounds yesterday and again took some hard shots as he tried to squeeze the best from his sparring partners, Shawn Porter and Urbano Antillon, at the Shape Up Gym in Baguio City.

Manny Pacquiao plunged back into training in Baguio City yesterday while Mexican trainer Nacho Beristain, who was thousands of miles away, bared his thoughts on how the Filipino pound-for-pound champion would hit Miguel Cotto “like a rocket” on Nov. 14.

“He took some real hard shots but overall it was a good workout,” said Pacquiao’s chief trainer, Freddie Roach, over the phone on his way back to the Manor Hotel where he’s staying for the duration of the training.

“It was pretty good,” said the American trainer, adding that the number of rounds in sparring should move up by Saturday. He said they plan to do another six rounds on Thursday while they await a new sparring partner.

Former WBC lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo, who figured in two brutal bouts with the late Diego Corrales in 2005 (the first one, won by Corrales, being chosen Fight of the Year), is scheduled to arrive Thursday.

“If he does, then he spars with Manny on Saturday,” said Roach of the 36-year-old Castillo, who lost two close decisions to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2002. Many thought that Castillo, a veteran of 70 fights, won the first one.

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The Contender moves to KL

SINGAPORE, May 29 — Singapore fans of kickboxing reality show The Contender Asia better brace themselves for a blow over where it is filming its second season.

The popular show which received funding from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) for the first season filmed here has knocked out Singapore for its next round and opted for Malaysia instead.

Landing the first season filming had been seen as a coup for Singapore and raised the hope of the Republic being a launching pad for more projects with the show’s co-producer Mark Burnett, who created the hit reality show The Apprentice and produced the long-running Survivor.

But executive producer Riaz Mehta, chief executive and founder of Singapore-based media company Imagine OmniMedia, told Life!: “We were looking for options for the second season and we had a strong show of support from the Malaysian government.”

The Contender Asia is produced by Imagine OmniMedia in partnership with Mark Burnett Productions and DreamWorks SKG, the brainchild of media moguls Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen.

Asked if the move to Malaysia was over a question of money, Mehta said:

“Of course, all these end up being commercial decisions. We have to weigh multiple factors — money is one of the factors, not the only one.’

Filming begins in early July and the series is set to air on AXN on Oct 21. There will be 16 contenders from 12 countries — none from Singapore — slugging it out for a total prize that is likely to be at least US$250,000 (RM878,000).

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In this Hollywood corner is Manny Pacquiao's home

Success symbol: A full view of Manny Pacquiao’s Hollywood home, a short drive away from the homes of Paris Hilton and Sharon Stone

Sports legends are some of the most well known people in the world, both for their sporting achievements and the lifestyles they lead. Basketball players, football players and boxers — the sporting world is filled with stories of multi-million mansions, expensive cars and unbelievable gifts.

Manny Pacquaio, however, has his feet firmly planted on the ground. He’s a sound businessman and a great boxer.

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Meanwhile, more Filipino fighters are being lined up for world title shots and Manny Pacquiao is backing the effort to the max. That’s the word from MP Promotions boxing adviser Michael Koncz who flew in from Los Angeles last Wednesday to join the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter here until they leave for New York City tentatively on June 10.

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Pacman's greatest contribution to the world

SHOOTING STRAIGHT By Valeriano Avila Updated May 05, 2009 12:00 AM

For the past three days, Manny Pacquiao has been in the national headlines, two days before the fight. I’m sure that it would slide to more days after he won the fight against Briton Ricky Hatton. As many of our friends predicted, Manny Pacquiao won this boxing match in the most dramatic fashion, earning him accolades from numerous World’s Boxing aficionados who declared in CNN that Manny Pacquiao is the greatest pound-for-pound boxer. I’m no boxing aficionado but I’m sure you’d be able to read the fight’s analysis from the front pages of our local and national dailies and even international news media networks like CNN or BBC. Manny Pacquiao has now caught their attention and are so generous in giving praises to Manny as a great boxer.

“From my viewpoint, the greatest contribution that Manny Pacquiao gave to the world is that, in front of the hundreds of thousands inside the boxing arena and beamed to the millions if not billions around the world who saw his fights, Manny showed them how to pray before the fight and to thank God after the fight. Manny may just be a nominal Catholic like most of us, but when he prays before the fight, the whole world sees that. Even the atheists would see that and when he won and attributed his win to God’s grace, the world’s audiences saw that as well. Manny may not be an evangelist, but his act of prayer teaches the world that prayer does work!”

Manny also gave a great contribution to local politics. How? We already know that there were at least 50 Congressmen (some say they are Tongressmen) who went to Las Vegas. I’m sure that there were many others national and local government officials as well who spent a lot of money to see a two-round fight.

But only Manny Pacquiao has the distinction of being greeted by former US Pres. Bill Clinton, hence Manny is now on a first name basis with Bill Clinton, whose wife is one of the most powerful persons in the US Government today. On that alone, Manny beat all the politicos who went to the US to watch his fight, but if Filipino politicians wanted an audience with Bill Clinton, I doubt if they could get an appointment with Clinton’s appointment secretary. Clearly, Manny has strong connections in the US!

I’m sure that the Telecoms Industry lead by Globe, PLDT/Smart and Sun Cellular must have made a killing when Filipinos all over the world texted each other proclaiming the victory of Manny Pacquiao against Hatton. But the best text message I got came from a dear friend, Fr. Carmelo Diola who texted me this, “A play on words: ‘Manny Pacquiao’= from ‘Immanuel’ +”Pacquiao’= God with us’ + ‘Wholesale’ = ‘We win wholesale if God is with us.” It had to take an intellectual like Fr. Melo to conjure up those words, but he is correct, if we are with God wholesale, we will always be blessed!

Contributed by Joe B. Jagap.