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Manny Pacquiao may never know who had hit him just hours after he
knocked out Mexican David Diaz in their title fight on Sunday in
Nevada.
But he can be sure these unseen foes are neither
boxers nor promoters, they are techno pirates, who have cashed in on
his demolition of Mexican David Diaz to win his fourth world title,
this time in the lightweight division of the World Boxing Council.
The cyber outlaws produced DVD copies of the bout, billed as
“Lethal Combination,” virtually right after Diaz hit the canvas
in the ninth round in Las Vegas.
A quick tour of shopping malls in eastern Metro
Manila on Monday revealed that pirated copies of “Lethal
Combination” were selling like hotcakes.
The pirated copies, in DVD format, features all
the fights of Pacquiao and Diaz and curtain-raisers in the June 29
battle at Mandalay Bay Events Center, including the undercard match
between Pacquiao’s compatriot Dennis Laurente and Palm Springs
boxer Steve Quinonez, which the Filipino won via technical knockout.
A quick survey showed that the DVDs, touted as
“clear copies,” were being sold at P25 to P30 each.
Scanning of a pirated copy showed the logos of
television network GMA 7 and cable channel Solar Sports. Both aired
the bout, with the television network’s broadcast slightly
delayed.
Logos of the advertisers were also shown, a
clear evidence that the match was recorded from Round 1.
Pacquiao, or PacMan to his millions of fans
worldwide, will return home on Friday to a hero’s welcome.
During an interview with ABS-CBN’s
early-morning show Umagang Kay Ganda, he said he is set to leave the
United States on July 2, with his present to those recently
displaced by Typhoon Frank.
Pacquiao was reported to have committed aid in
cash to the victims, most of whom were from the Visayas and Mindanao
regions. He is from Mindanao’s General Santos City in South
Cotabato province.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development
also on Monday said it would be better for the boxing champion to
course his donation to the victims to government agencies handling
relief operations.
Undersecretary Celia Yangco suggested that
Pacquiao hand over the aid to her department or the National
Disaster Coordinating Council.
Pacquiao said he might face undefeated
Venezuelan boxer Edwin Valero this November. He added that he is
open to fighting British super lightweight Ricky Hatton but that
would mean he would have to go up to 140 pounds.
Also during the TV interview, Pacquiao stressed
that he did not have any intentions to insult Diaz, when he tried to
pick him up after the Mexican boxer crashed to the canvas.
-- Francis Earl A. Cueto and Jefferson Antiporda
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