Fans to get free viewing

MANILA, Philippines - Manila and Caloocan City will treat Filipino boxing fans to a free showing of the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez IV fight in various venues tomorrow.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim’s chief of staff and media bureau chief Ric de Guzman said the sports complexes in the city are now being readied for residents to watch the fight live for free.

Lim has ordered the installation of large screens at the designated venues in the city to provide residents a good view of the fight.

“The free showing will give residents a chance to see the fight live. People won’t need to pay to watch the fight in hotels, restaurants or theaters,” said Lim.

De Guzman said the live telecast of the fight will be shown at the following sports centers: Tondo Sports Complex (near Sto. Niño De Tondo Church) District I, Patricia Sports Complex (Flora St., Gagalangin, Tondo) District II, Rasac Covered Court (Alvarez St. cor. Rizal Ave.) District III, Dapitan Sports Complex (Instruccion St., Sampaloc) District IV, San Andres Sports Complex (San Andres St., Malate), District V and Teresa Covered Court (Teresa St., Sta. Mesa), District VI.

Complimentary tickets will be given to residents on a first-come, first-served basis through the barangay halls.

The fight will be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas Saturday (Sunday morning in Manila).

In Caloocan, the free viewing is a joint project of Caloocan City Mayor Enrico Echiverri and Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas president, Councilor Ricojudge Echiverri.

The fight will be shown free at the Victory Mall, Monumento, Barangay 144 Covered Court, Barangay 152 Macaneneng Covered Court, Barangay 163 Sta. Quiteria Elem. School, Barangay 166 Caybiga Covered Court, Barangay 168 Deparo Covered Court, Barangay 171 Bagumbong High School, Barangay 174 Camarin High School;

Barangay 176 Phase I Covered Court, Barangay 176 Phase 7 Pag-Asa Elem. School, Barangay 176 Phase 10 Kalayaan High School, Barangay 178 Camarin D Elem. School, Barangay 179 Amparo Covered Court and Barangay 187 at 188 Glorietta Covered Court.

Residents are advised to coordinate with their respective barangays for the free tickets, according to Mayor Echiverri, who also ordered the city’s Chief of Police Sr. Supt. Rimas Calixto to secure the areas.

GMA Network, meanwhile, makes an in-depth and exclusive report on the fight starting at 10 a.m. on GMA 7 with the actual fight to be shown starting at 11 a.m.

 Hosted by Chino Trinidad, the boxing special looks back on the first three Pacquiao-Marquez fights, allowing viewers to have a stronger grasp of how each fight came about, which ultimately led to their fourth face-off.

A replay will be shown on SNBO at 10:30 p.m. – Sandy Araneta/Jerry Botial