COTTO vs. PACQUIAO

Woot woot! To all the Filipinos around the globe!

Maybe you guys are wondering why on earth am I blogging this event here in The Artist Chef blog. This is supposed to be about my art, food and other interests in life. Now allow me tell you why I was so excited to blog about this entry since yesterday. First of all I am one of those millions of Filipino who are rejoicing for the victory of our People's Champ Manny Pacquiao! Second, and the more important reason is---I do Muay Thai Boxing now at this point of my life. So from there you can grasp the connection for this blog entry. Gets? :p

Last Sunday morning I woke up very early around 7am. I headed the city to watch the live telecast of the fight at an Irish Pub in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Filipino friends invited me join them in watching. Some foreign dudes are also watching the game. Everyone had their breakfast and patiently waited the main event of Cotto & Pacquiao after few under card fights. Then it was almost 12 noon when the fight started. All of us were yelling for Pacquiao of course. But since Cotto is a good looking guy and has a nice body, the Filipina girls can't help but cheer for him at the same time. And I wasn't exempted. I giggled for him at first but I shifted my emotion quickly when the fight started. Then the crowd sipped their beers as they watch the blow by blow round of the game.

Cotto is a very tough opponent for our dear PACMAN. That's my opinion and I feel like I can analyze the game now in a different perspective since I am into boxing these days. Before when I used to watch Manny's fight all I cared were the punches and who's going to be knocked out. I don't really get how the pointing system here because in the end all I care is the winner. Now I can determine if the punch is a foul or if it's really counted. The upper cut, left and right punch and so on matters to me now. The offense and defense techniques which I already learned so I can figure things out. During the game, I know PACMAN will win. I have the gut feel already. When I noticed that most of the time Cotto loves to hug and cut the momentum during the intense exchange of punches. He was very alert in backing out and creating a distance to Manny. Another thing I noticed, he's very protective and rarely open his hands so his face was really protected. That's why it took a while before Manny got the chance to get in. And when he did, there you go Cotto fell on round 4. It was a good game but judging it based on round 8-12, I knew Manny will be the winner. I observed that Cotto was making distance very often to prolong the game 'til 12th round. And when Cotto made several distance to Manny--Pacquiao will just stand and rest in the middle of it all. And I had my laugh during those times.

The referee called it off before round 12 ends. He declared Manny as the winner. Cotto with all his humility went to Manny and gave him the real power hug. Technical Knockout. Winner by unanimous decision, Manny Pacquiao! His 7th title on different weight divisions. I admire and appreciate Manny now. How amazing he is as a boxer and how spectacular his training was. His endurance and agility to be numb with any pain is truly breath taking for me. Manny is a hero on his own right. He has a legacy that has no compromise. He will be the greatest boxer I will know in this life I have. Although there are things that depresses me about Manny like his political friends that cling on him and influencing him in a bad way. Next is his being associated on female sexy celebs like Ara Mina and Krista Ranillo. The rumors were confirmed by various people already so I feel sad for his children and his wife. On the other hand I can't blame him because he has everything--money, fame and legacy. And the girls can't help but get flashed by the glittering offerings of a Manny Pacquiao. I think all men are like that with or without fame and money. Human nature of man. In Manny's case, I think it's acceptable. Hehe...

To summarize this blog entry, I wanna tell everyone that I enjoyed the fight last Sunday. I was stunned by the physical beauty of Miguel Cotto. The sad part is, it's just another unrecognizable beauty after the fight with Manny Pacquiao. Blood and bruises serve as his make up. While Manny is still Manny! I like Cotto though...

'Til next time, Have a bloody week everyone!!!

hugs,
joanie xxx