Guns are expected to fall silent at the front, especially in Mindanao, on Sunday when M/Sgt. Manny Pacquiao faces boxing champion Oscar de la Hoya in the ring in Las Vegas.
The military expects an undeclared ceasefire for several hours on Sunday as soldiers and rebels alike are expected to be cheering for their champion.
Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Armed Forces spokesman, said based on Pacquiao’s past international bouts, people from all walks of life would stop what they were doing to watch the fight.
As in the past, the military will air live the Pacquiao-De la Hoya fight at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City and in Army gymnasiums nationwide for free, he added.
Armed Forces chief Gen. Alexander Yano, a long-time friend of Pacquiao, sent the Filipino boxing champion a letter assuring him the support and prayers of the entire 120,000-strong military.
Experts split on Pacman
Two sports analysts are split in their opinion on whether Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao will defeat ring legend Oscar de la Hoya when they clash in Las Vegas, Nevada on Dec. 6 (Dec. 7 in Manila).
Cotabato Vice Gov. Emmanuel Piñol, who made a brief stopover in Zamboanga City on his way to Las Vegas, gave a fearless forecast on the chances of the two boxers.
“Pacquiao is going to play around Oscar de la Hoya, tire him for six rounds and then come in for the kill in the second half,” he told The STAR.
On the other hand, Philippine-based world-renowned referee Bruce MacTavish said in Angeles City that his heart is for Pacman, but his head is for De la Hoya.
“I think Manny has the determination and spirit, and his decision to fight Oscar de la Hoya was more of a wise business decision,” he told The STAR in an interview.
Piñol said a recent study showed that Asian athletes, specifically Filipinos, mature much later in their career compared to Europeans and other Caucasians, mainly due to their diet.
Piñol said Pacquiao, at 29, is still peaking in his career, compared to De la Hoya, who is already 35 years old.
“Actually, I see the strategy, and I think I know what (Freddie) Roach and company will be doing in the fight – they will exploit the age difference,” he said.
Piñol said the height advantage of De la Hoya of about 4 inches would not matter when taking into account that Pacquiao has defeated Oscar Larios, who is about as tall as De la Hoya.
The camp of Pacquiao is going for a knockout between the 8th to the 11th round, he added.
Piñol brushed aside doubts that Pacquiao will beat De la Hoya as he had watched the Golden Boy’s last fight against American Steve Forbes, who was smaller than Pacquiao.
De la Hoya was panting like a tired horse after the fight, he added.
On the other hand, MacTavish said the Las Vegas bout is tilted in favor of the taller De la Hoya.
His analysis is based on his having acted as referee in no less than 151 world title bouts, he added.
MacTavish, an internationally recognized referee of the World Boxing Council, said despite being younger, Pacquiao’s physical limitations will do him in against the taller De la Hoya, an Olympic gold medallist.
“De la Hoya is four inches taller with a five-millimeter reach advantage, and whose natural weight is supposed to be heavier by 10 pounds,” he said.
Even if he loses, Pacquiao should be credited with having made a wise business decision in fighting De la Hoya, MacTavish said.
Reports said Pacquiao would be entitled to a 40-percent share of pay-per-view revenue, which is expected to breach $100 million.
MacTavish said he agreed with the forecast of De la Hoya’s camp that Pacquiao would be knocked out in the fifth round.
However, Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach said Golden Boy would be seeing stars in the ninth. – With Roel Pareño, Ding Cervantes