To young fan, happiness is a flag, bandana

LAS VEGAS – There’s a new breed of Manny Pacquiao fans, and Pico Marquez, a seven-year-old boy who lives here, is just one of them.

Pico failed to catch Pacquiao’s sensational win over Erik Morales live at the Thomas and Mack Center Saturday. But he made sure he caught it on TV.

"He wouldn’t miss the fight for anything," said her pretty mom, Sohnna, who brought her kid to the Wynn Las Vegas for a chance to come close to Pacquiao.

Pico had wanted to meet the Filipino boxing hero in the flesh and probably have a couple of his pictures taken with Pacquiao. He was dying for the chance.

But it just wouldn’t happen.

Pico and her mom came in after lunch but Pacquiao was resting at the time. They came back at dinner time but again, Pacquiao was out for some recreation.

Pico, however, hardly showed any disappointment, only saying repeatedly that he wanted to meet Pacquiao. But there’s always a second chance.

"He really loves Manny Pacquiao that he’d rather watch his fights on TV than watch cartoons," said Sohnna, who said she drove 45 minutes just to bring Pico to the Pacquiao hotel.

Their visit, however, didn’t turn out to be all failure as Cris Aquino, the portly Pacquiao fan who has this habit of giving away fight souvenirs for free, came to the rescue.

There’s always something to give away as far as Cris is concerned. For Pico, he gave away his official fight credential, a Pacquiao bandana, a tiny RP flag and some other stuff.

Thanks to Cris, the day didn’t turn out too bad for Pico, afterall. — Abac Cordero