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By Eddie Alinea, Contributor
THE people from the boxing community are trying
to catch a fever these days. It is called the PacMan fever.
Trying to dodge the hammer from newly crowned
World Boxing Council super-featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao’s
left hand has its own plus-sides.
For fighting the Filipino ring idol, erstwhile
130-pound beltholder Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico just emerged as
the biggest boxing attraction from that country dislodging
countrymen and future Hall of Famers Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik
Morales from atop the popularity ladder.
Even WBC lightweight kingpin David Diaz, whose
only license to fame is his being the 135-pound champ and being a
member of the US boxing team as a light-welterweight during the 1996
Atlanta Olympic Games, is now enjoying immense popularity simply
because he looks like the most-likely next opponent of the “Pacman.”
The defense-oriented Marquez might have lost to
the Pacman in their March 15 duel for his super-featherweight crown
but that 12-round encounter that went to Pacquiao’s favor via a
split verdict, drew some 400,000 pay-per-vie buys.
Translated to cold cash, that buys would brought
some $20.2 million- earnings for Pacquiao and Marquez themselves,
the top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions and all others who were
entitled to shares in the income.
The numbers have not yet finally been computed
but the 400,000 buys has already surpassed the existing records in
the below welterweight category set in both the Pacquiao-Morales and
Pacquiao-Barrera fights.
This PPV numbers elated GBP president Oscar de
la Hoya that he heaped all praises for Marquez’s new-found fame.
“I’m happy to say that Juan Manuel Marquez
has become the biggest Mexican boxing attraction in the united
States. The numbers for this fight are an amazing achievements for a
lower weight fighter,” De la Hoya said as quoted by philboxing
website the other day.
“It’s an honor for us at Golden Boy
Promotions to promote a fighter as talented, tough, charismatic and
popular as Juan Manuel Marquez,” De la Hoya added. ”While he
didn’t get the decision in that historic bout, we are going to
make sure he receives the recognition he deserves as Mexico’s
biggest star.”
De la Hoya, who, incidentally, is also being
lined up as one of Pacquiao’s future opponent, failed to mention
that such popularity his ward is enjoying wouldn’t have been
possible had the Filipino not been his opponent.
After news that Diaz, most-probably, would face
Pacquiao for his title in June, his popularity zoomed to great
heights, especially in Mexico where he spent his Lenten holiday.
Reports said that while Pacquiao was mobbed by
his countrymen upon his arrival in Manila and on the way to the
Presidential palace to meet with President Macapagal-Arroyo, Diaz
was enjoying precious time with his fans and family.
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