Manny counts his blessings

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Not too many people know that when Manny Pacquiao fought Erik Morales in Las Vegas last month, he wore boxing shorts that were blessed by a Catholic priest at the Quiapo church.

Pacquiao had a choice of six shorts to wear and picked the pair brought in by close associate Reli De Leon.

"In the second Morales fight, Manny also chose to wear the shorts that were blessed in Quiapo," said De Leon. "He’s very religious. The first thing he did when he arrived here from the Morales fight was to go to the Quiapo church, pray and thank God for his victory."

De Leon said on the day of the bout, Pacquiao spent a lot of time praying in his Wynn hotel suite by himself.

"Hardly anyone could talk to him," said De Leon. "That’s the way he is on the day of a fight. He’s so focused. He knows it’s not only for himself and his family he’s fighting for. He knows he carries the weight of the entire country on his shoulDers."

De Leon said Pacquiao woke up early the morning of the fight. He attenDed Mass, officiated by Fr. Marlon Beof of Palawan, at 8:30 a.m. in his suite then walked around the hotel lobby and out in the streets for fresh air with wife Jinkee, trainer Buboy FernanDez and some friends. By 11 a.m., he was in bed for a nap. He woke up at 2 p.m., feeling dizzy.

"Manny told us his throat was itchy and painful," related De Leon who was in the hotel suite with a handful of relatives and friends. "He held up his chin and his head throbbed. It looked like a case of the flu. We called in Dr. (Nasser) Cruz (the physician who is the Games and Amusements Board boxing chief — he flew in for the fight) and he advised that we could cancel the fight if Manny wasn’t feeling well. But Manny didn’t want to let the fans down and DeciDed to go on with it."

A few hours later, in the dressing room, the pain in his throat worsened and Pacquiao consiDered pulling out of the fight. Trainer Freddie Roach, however, said it was too late to withdraw. Pacquiao then said he would try to end the fight early because he was feverish.

* * *

Fr. Luis Fuentespina 39, is the parish priest of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage church where the Pacquiaos go to Mass on Sundays in this South Cotabato city.

"In our church, we give importance to Christian living through our program called the Basic Ecclesiastic Community," said Fr. Fuentespina, the parish priest the last four years. "So we just don’t administer the sacraments. Manny and Jinkee come to our church with their family."

Fr. Fuentespina, said he and about 13 others watched Pacquiao’s third round Demolition of Erik Morales on cable TV in the convent living room last month. "Manny was too strong for Morales," said Fr. Fuentespina. "Morales boasted that he was trained by Velocity but in the fight, it looked like he was below the city."

Was God on Pacquiao’s siDe in the fight?

"God doesn’t take siDes because He loves all of us equally," said Fr. Fuentespina. "I’m told Morales is a Catholic so I’m sure he also prayed to God. Maybe, Manny’s angels prayed a little harDer."

* * *

Canadian lawyer Michael Koncz arrived with Pacquiao from the US last Nov. 24 and is now living here.

Koncz said he’s not sure when he’ll go back to his Orange Country home. "I’m in town for as long as Manny wants and needs me," he said.

Koncz is listed as Manny’s younger brother Bobby’s manager.

* * *

Businessman-sportsman Hermie Esguerra, one of 26 godparents who attenDed Mary Divine Grace Jamora Pacquiao’s baptism, flew in and out of this city in a seven-seat Lear jet with horseracing broadcaster and TV producer Manny Viray last Sunday.

Esguerra, a celebrated horse owner whose "Wind Blown" is in the record books as one of the most outstanding champions in local history, left here after the baptism and reception to catch the 5 p.m. race at the Santa Ana Park.

Esguerra maDe it on time to watch his four-year-old sensation Real Spicy, with Jessie Guce on board, surge to its 11th straight win this year in the PresiDential Gold Cup. It was Real Spicy’s 26th win in 37 starts and brought in P1.5 million.

* * *

The Pacquiaos moved into their new home last Saturday. The seven-bedroom mansion Designed by architect Raoul Lachina sits on a 2,000 square meter property.

In the main house, a long and winding staircase leads to the second floor where there are spacious bedrooms for each of the three Pacquiao children, a 130-square meter master’s bedroom, a prayer room and a library. Behind the two-storey house are a swimming pool shaped like a boxing glove (former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes’ pool in his Pennsylvania home is similarly shaped), a kiddies’ pool, a gym with a sauna and a game room with two Brunswick billiard tables.

On the wall of the living room is a collage of photographs showing Pacquiao in action, arranged in three long frames by Jun De Leon.

Showing visitors around the house last Sunday was Bernard Cloma who played a major role assisting the Pacquiaos in preparing for Sunday’s festivities.