CEBU, Philippines - After winning her third world title at the Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada, Pinay boxing pride Ana Julaton came home to the Philippines for the first time, and swept the hearts of Filipinos like “The Hurricane” she is best known as.
This translated to a ratings victory, too, for the Pinay boxing champ as “Laban ng Pinay: Julaton vs. Villalobos” – The Hurricane’s victorious match against Mexico’s Maria Elena Villalobos – aired on GMA-7 last Sunday, July 18, fared well in Mega Manila ratings, according to Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.
“Laban ng Pinay: Julaton vs. Villalobos” posted an average TV household rating of 15.3 percent (based on overnight ratings), compared to the 9.2 percent of ABS-CBN’s “Sandugo: AJ Banal vs. Big Yoo,” resulting to a commanding lead of 6.1 percent. “Laban ng Pinay” also edged out ASAP XV, 15.3 versus 12.5, when it went up against the early part of the rival station’s Sunday noontime show.
Mega Manila comprises 55 percent of total urban television households nationwide. It includes Metro Manila and suburbs – parts of Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.
“Laban ng Pinay: Julaton vs. Villalobos” showed how Julaton crowned herself as the new World Boxing Organization (WBO) Super Bantamweight champ via split decision over Villalobos. With this victory, Julaton redeemed herself after suffering from a unanimous decision loss at the hands of Lisa Brown last March.
Last week, The Hurricane came home to a hero’s welcome courtesy of GMA Network and its flagship international channel, GMA Pinoy TV. Aside from her homecoming to Pozzorubio, Pangasinan, she guested in such shows as “Eat Bulaga,” “Unang Hirit” and “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho,” and was also the special guest during the Network’s general assembly.
The Pinay boxing pride also paid a courtesy call to President Noynoy Aquino in Malacañang Palace.