URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan - More than 3,000 people gathered yesterday at the cultural and sports center here as they watched through a large screen Pinoy boxing icon Manny Pacquiao dethrone World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight champion David Diaz via knockout in the ninth round of their scheduled 12-round duel dubbed as "Lethal Combination."
"Of course, we are happy Pacquiao won again," Rosendo So, president of the Eastern Pangasinan Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told The STAR after the fight.
But So quickly said that the previous fights of Pacquiao were more exciting. "As early as the second round we knew Manny could handle Diaz."
Ruben Elasin, a tricycle driver from Asingan town who took time out off the road, said he never failed to watch every Pacquiao fight.
"It's always exciting to see Pacquiao dominate his opponent," said Elasin, adding that he even prayed for Pacquiao to win.
Thousands of Pangasinenses broke in uproar as Pacquiao finally knocked out the bloodied WBC lightweight champion in the ninth round.
In Dagupan City, the Smart Communications set up large screens at the cultural and sports center.
According to marketing events officer Debby Perez, they had put up screens at eight other venues all over the country for the people to watch the bout. Metro Manila had two in San Juan and Pasay City, Pampanga had one at the Bren Guiao Convention Center, Batangas at the Lipa Cultural Center, Bacolod at the La Salle gym, Cebu at the Mandaue Sports Center, Cagayan de Oro City at Xavier University and Davao at the Rizal Memorial College.
Existing Smart subscribers just bought P60 worth of electronic load while those non-subscribers bought Smart's subscriber's identification module (SIM) card plus P30 electronic load for tickets to the fight. - Cesar Ramirez/Philstar
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