Manny's mistaken identity

LAS VEGAS – Fresh from beating Sugar Shane Mosley, WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao entered his dressing room with a police escort to shield him from adoring fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena here Saturday night (yesterday morning, Manila).

Officials from the Nevada State Athletic Commission waited to draw a sample of Pacquiao’s for a drug test. A group of about 20 were in the dug-out which was secured by venue guards. Among them were Pacquiao’s wife Jinkee and her twin sister Janet. Freddie Roach, Alex Ariza, Buboy Fernandez, Miguel Diaz, Games and Amusements Board (GAB) chairman Monju Guanzon, GAB boxing chief Dr. Nasser Cruz, former Rep. Monico Puentevella, Rob Peters, Billy Keane, Peter Nelson, Fred Sternberg,Thomas Hauser, Star columnist Philip Juico, broadcaster Mico Halili, Solar BTV creative director Andrew Santiago, Dyan Castillejo and this writer.

As Pacquiao was being whisked into a private room for the urine test, he stopped. “Can I kiss my wife first?” he asked. The police escort gave in to Pacquiao’s request. Pacquiao walked up to Janet and was about to buss her when he realized it was the wrong twin. Everyone laughed. Pacquiao then kissed Jinkee. It was a touching moment for the couple.

In the swirl of adulation for retaining the WBO title, Pacquiao didn’t forget to show affection to his wife – the mother of their four children. And the next day happened to be Mother’s Day.

After providing the urine sample, Pacquiao walked out of the private room wearing a towel around his waist and took a shower. Then, he reemerged wearing a dark suit with a yellow tie, ready for an interview with the Solar coverage team and Dyan Castillejo with ABS-CBN. Pacquiao later moved to the media room for the traditional post-fight press conference.

Attendance was announced at 16,412 – a sell-out. 

In terms of total punches thrown and landed, Pacquiao was 182 of 552 for 33 percent while Mosley was 82 of 260 for 31.5 percent. The difference of 100 landed punches was glaring. Pacquiao connected on 134 power blows compared to Mosley’s 31.

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Former PBA cagers Abet Guidaben, Chris Jackson, Manny Victorino, Pongky Alolor and Django Rivera attended the Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Marlon Beof of Oxnard, California, at the South Pacific Event Center in the Mandalay Resort and Casino the morning of Pacquiao’s fight against Mosley. Over 500 well-wishers came to join Pacquiao and wife Jinkee for the Mass.

Guidaben, who now lives in New Jersey, said he plans to visit the Philippines in December and maybe, stay up to six months to assist Pacquiao in formulating a sports development program for Mindanao. 

Last year, Guidaben was hospitalized in critical condition for three weeks after he was diagnosed to be suffering from a muscle disease called myasthenia gravis. He underwent an operation to remove his thymus gland and a benign tumor in his chest.

“It happened so suddenly,” said Guidaben. “I thought I was dying. I couldn’t open my eyes. I couldn’t move my jaw. My muscles were on the verge of collapsing. But I prayed to the Lord. It’s a miracle I’m alive and back to playing basketball.”

Guidaben and the PBA veterans were in town to play an exhibition game against Team Pacquiao in a local gym. Jackson said the ex-pros kept it close and won by a slim margin.

Those who attended the Mass included Gov. Chavit Singson, Solar bosses William and Wilson Tieng, Aida Tieng, Solar  chief operating officer Peter Chanliong, bowling Hall of Famer PaengNepomuceno (who flew in from Hawaii), Bacolod City Mayor Bing Leonardia, former Speaker Prospero Nograles, Rep. Robbie Puno and wife Chiqui Roa, Rep. Hermilando Mandanas, lightweight contender Mercito Gesta, Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Monico Puentevella, Vicki Belo, Hayden Kho, Atom Henares and son Quark, Dutch businessman Aernout Thiere, Johnny and Liza Elorde, lawyer Romy Makalintal, former Mayor Lito Atienza, Vernie Torres, Jimmy Zuno and Jeff de Guzman.

Solar boss William Tieng’s wife Aida said the Magallanes Village “morning girls” watched the Pacquiao-Mosley fight and extended her personal greetings.