PACMAN

My Quiet & Co. co-founder Tristan Trajano who is in LA for an 8-year vacation got lucky the other day. He emailed me to say that a basketball buddy sold him discounted tickets for the Pacquiao-Morales fight in Las Vegas on the 21st of this month, a most anticipated match dubbed as "The Battle" to be seen by millions of boxing afficionados all over the globe.

Our hero, Manny "The Pacman" Pacquiao is expected to emerge as the victor this time, after that upset loss to Mexican Erik "El Terrible" Morales last year, considered by sports pundits as one of the greatest boxing clashes in recent history in that weight division. It was just unfortunate for our slugging champ that he had to endure the last rounds of that fight with blood profusely gushing all over his face after that unintentional head-butt.

On the other hand, the Morales camp assures of a no-knockout fight and hopes to duplicate their win of last year. Morales, a 5-7 underdog on this coming rematch says Pacquiao's side should get ready for another beating of some sort, as they have very high morale due to an edge on training.

In LA's Griffith park the other day, hopes from Team Pacquiao were soaring. According to Freddie Roach, Pacman's head trainer, it is all systems go for their prized-fighter, after a gruelling two-month preparation of serious work-outs and a number of sparring bouts with other boxers from different weight divisions. Members of the Pacquiao contingent hardly withstood the cold morning routine jogs in this sprawling mountain reserve, but the Pacman took it effortlessly, proving he's fit enough for fight night at the Thomas and Mack Center, expected to be full-packed by boxing fanatics and Hollywood celebrities alike.

This time, there will be no more excuses. If in the past Pacquiao complained and whined about trivialities like holes in his socks and wrong wrapping of that stuff inside his gloves, it's time he buy quality apparel and quit being a miser and stop purchasing one-dollar blister-causing socks at Payless Shoestore. If he could afford to buy a Porshe Cayenne SUV, then he should be a consistent big spender this time around.

I am all for the best for Manny. If we can't keep our politicians from fouling-up, then all we can do is to support our new national hero in the name of Manny "The Pacman" Pacquiao.