MANILA, Phillippines - Hinikayat ni Senator Loren Legarda si world boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao na ikonsi-dera ang pagdaraos ng kanyang laban sa Pilipinas pagkatapos ng kanyang laban kay Ricky Hatton, at sinabing ito ay magmamarka sa ikalawang “Thirilla in Manila”.
“I know that the big money fights are in the United States and elsewhere. But I believe Manny has already achieved such an iconic stature in the world of boxing to make a big fight happen in the Philippines,” wika ni Legarda.
“If Manny can negotiate mega-buck deals, I believe that he can convince fight promo-ters to consider the Philippines as the location for his next fight. He can, so to speak, throw his weight around for, after all, he is the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter now.”
Ang pahayag na ito ng senadora ay makaraang mapansin ang nakakasiyang pagmamalaki ng mga Pinoy sa tagumpay ng dalawa pang bayani ng boxing na sina Nonito Donaire at Brian Viloria na ginanap sa Araneta Coliseum.
“While Filipinos follow Manny’s fights wherever they are held, the Donaire and Viloria fights showed that the victories of Filipino athletes are extra special when posted before our countrymen,” wika pa ni Legarda.
Ayon pa kay Legarda, ang paghatak ng mga fight afficionados sa bansa at pagbibigay pansin sa international boxing coverage ay malaki ang maitutulong sa bansa bilang tourist destination.