Manny Pacquiao fans in the UAE react to Filipino’s win over Chris Algieri

Jose Maria Santos 15:32 23/11/2014
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  • Strong following: The UAE has a number of Manny Pacquiao fans.

    Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao’s fans in Dubai spiritedly rejoiced his complete domination of erstwhile undefeated American opponent Chris Algieri to retain his WBO welterweight title at Venetian Macau’s Cotai Arena.

    – Algieri struggles with scales at weigh-in

    Any array of his countrymen, fitness experts and fight fans flocked to the Boracay Club at Asiana Hotel in Deira to watch the bout where Sport360 reporter Angel L. Tesorero was on hand to capture their reaction to Pacquiao’s 57th professional win.

    Enrico Marjes (below, front), instructor at Fitness First 


    “Pacquiao fought like he was 10 years younger, a 25-year old boxer. We didn’t see anything new with his style but we witnessed the old ‘Pacman’ with his combination of powerful left hooks and lethal right jabs. His speed was too much to handle for Algieri.”

    Professional photographer Mike Malate (below, white t-shirt), managing director at Soura Photography

    “Pacquiao dominated the fight with his speed and firepower.  It was a very convincing win and the only thing missing was a knockout victory, which people had expected, but Algieri kept on backpedalling and eluding Pacquiao.”

    Filipino-Gabonese Arnie Dicka, trainer at Jumpboxx
    “Pacquiao’s hard training really paid off. He’s very focused. I’m extremely happy and proud to see the ‘old’ Manny is back.”

    Rayan Bernardo, McFearin Basketaball Association president 
    “Algieri had nothing in his arsenal to counter Pacquiao’s firepower. One day age will catch up with Pacquiao; but today his speed and power prevailed. He still has gas left in his tank to prove he’s still on top of his game but he has to focus on boxing and forget about playing basketball.”

    Rex Yadao, marketing specialist at pay-per view provider ABS-CBN Middle East
    “Pacquiao made us, his countrymen, proud again. We were not disappointed. Though he did not knockout Algieri, he floored his opponent six times and he gave us 12 rounds of pure hard action.”

    Nick Mallory (below), strength and conditioning expert at Fit Republik

    “It was a predictable win for Manny. There was a potential for Algieri – with his reach advantage – to disrupt Pacquiao but he just ran. Algieri may have performed better than his previous fights but Pacquiao has the genetic advantage to win – his whirlwind speed alone punished Algieri.”

    “Pacquiao fought methodically. There was science in his fight and he was well-conditioned but we can already see some chinks in his armour. These flaws may lure Floyd Mayweather to finally fight Pacquiao but we can also see Mayweather also slowing down and if that mega-fight happens, I will certainly go for Pacquiao.”

    Fel Arreza, assistant manager at Boracay Club
    “The final brick to complete his legacy is his fight against Mayweather. And if that fight happens, we may need a stadium or a cinema in Dubai to screen the biggest boxing fight ever.”

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