Fight podcast starts Sunday

Everything there is to know about the Nov. 13 duel between Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito for the vacant WBC superwelterweight title will be accessible through an audio MP3 player imbedded in the website philstar.com starting this Sunday at the stroke of midnight.

Website master Dino Maragay has scheduled the airing exactly one week before the fight at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Philstar.com’s first-ever podcast featured a primer on Pacquiao’s bout against Miguel Cotto last year. Another podcast was created for Pacquiao’s battle against Joshua Clottey last March.

Boxing isn’t the only topic of interest for philstar.com’s growing podcast audience. Dino has also set up podcasts on the UAAP and NCAA basketball championships anchored by Star columnist Bill Velasco and an assessment of President Aquino’s first 100 days in office hosted by Star columnist Cito Beltran interacting with Star reporters.

I enjoy doing the boxing podcasts and the Pacquiao-Margarito episode is my third with philstar.com.

I recorded the content for the podcast at the Sound Weavers Studio in Makati last week and spoke non-stop for 33 minutes, which was the duration of the raw file. I tried to make it interesting by discussing all things relevant to the fight, including both fighters’ physical differences, records, common opponents, quality of opposition, tendencies, styles and training camps.

I broke down the strengths and weaknesses of both fighters and how they could impact on the outcome of the fight. I talked about Margarito’s size and how it could be an advantage or disadvantage. I discussed Margarito’s style, his lack of fundamentals, his limited footwork and his win-at-all-costs approach. I took up the hand-wraps fiasco and described how Margarito fights dirty. I cited his strong chin, his body banging and his gangster mentality in the ring.

As for Pacquiao, I mentioned six S-factors that could spell the difference between winning and losing – stamina, speed, style, side-to-side (lateral) movement, smarts and stay off the ropes. I said if Pacquiao’s not in tip-top shape, Margarito becomes doubly dangerous. The Mexican has everything to gain and nothing to lose so the pressure will be on Pacquiao to win convincingly to cement his legacy as the only fighter to capture eight world titles in eight weight classes. Besides, a Pacquiao win will pave the way for a huge money showdown with Floyd Mayweather in May – a showdown that according to a reliable source, could be the first chapter of an unfolding trilogy.

In the climax, I predict how the fight will end.

Dino said the total time for the podcast will be around 45 minutes, incorporating breaks. There will be no segments with the podcast uploaded as a single file. “Listeners can post comments via the imbedded shoutbox on philstar.com’s special Pacquiao-Margarito microsite,” said Dino.

Listeners may also send in their comments to my Facebook account (type Joaquin Henson in the search box and request as friend).

Overseeing the podcast recording was website co-editor Vernadette Joven. Dino said the success of philstar.com’s podcasts wouldn’t be possible without the support of philstar.com president and CEO Kevin Belmonte and chief operating officer Roseanne Belmonte.

Don’t forget. Click on the Pacquiao-Margarito microsite for philstar.com’s exclusive podcast starting Sunday, accessible any time up to the day of the fight and share your views with others. Be a part of history in the making.

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Retired regional trial court judge Jimmy Quitain, author of the sports column “Last Two Minutes” in the Mindanao Times, said Val Rosabal will join an elite cast to be inducted into the Davao Basketball Hall of Fame in Davao City on Dec. 7.

According to Jimmy, Rosabal played two years at Mindanao Colleges, now the University of Mindanao, in Davao City. After high school, he moved to UST and was named UAAP rookie of the year in 1960 and four years later, MVP. Rosabal went on to suit up for YCO and Ysmael Steel in a storybook cage career.

Others lined up for enshrinement include the late Francisco (Rajah of Rebound) Rabat who played on the third-place Philippine team at the 1954 World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Olympian Loreto Carbonnel and former PBA cager Alvin Teng.

PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon said Davao is represented in the PBA not just by B-Meg’s P. J. Simon and Powerade’s R. J. Rizada. He listed other Davaoeños as John Ferriols, Samigue Eman, Francis Allera and Pong Escobal. Former pros Jomer Rubi and Felix Belano also trace their roots to Davao. Fidel grew up in Davao where his family lived from 1969 to 1976.

Jimmy added Sunday Salvacion to the list of active PBA cagers. He named more Davao natives who once played in the PBA – Abet Gutierrez, Cho Sison, Dave Supnet (who died in a plane crash), Noli Banate, Dong Postanes, Dong Polistico, the late Jack Tanuan, Romy Ang, Teroy Albarillo, Dennis Carbonilla, Dindo Pastor, Cadel Mosqueda, Cesar Ijares, Joel Santos, Aldo Perez, Willy Tanduyan and Jesus Ramirez.