The Dream Match

This upcoming Sunday morning (Saturday evening in the US), Filipino boxing hero, Manny Pacquiao (aka Pacman) and boxing icon, Oscar Dela Hoya will go at in the boxing ring for what is being called the Dream Match. There has been so much anticipation about this fight ever since the idea was raised earlier this year. Back in California, my family always gets together for a Pacman fight, and it will be no different this weekend. I will be here in Cebu, and cannot think of a better place (other than Las Vegas where the fight is actually taking place) to watch this event. A few of my male co-workers purchased P100 pesos ($2 dollars) to see the fight on the large screen at the Cebu City Colesium. There are many venues to select from to watch this incredible pay-per-view event - the movie theatres will be showing it in the cineplex theatre, restaurants and hotels are offering buffet lunches along with pay-per-view. I wanted to watch it with the natives - the regular folk - the crazies in a large venue where the seats are cheap and the people wild and crazy. There will be no air circulation in the this arena, which will make it feel even more dank. The place is going to erupt with every connected punch and I'm going to brace myself when Golden Boy goes down for the count after being kissed by one of Manny's left jabs. Perhaps I should wear one of those sparring head gears for my safety.

Boxing is one of those filipino cultural fascinations because it is one of the few sports where we have seen some success. I grew up seeing my father and grandfather enjoy watching the greats - Ali, Frazier, and Foreman. Manny is one of the rare athletes, not only because of his heart of a champion, his rags to riches story (he sold cigarettes on the street as a boy); but because this entire country is hanging on him. The weight upon his shoulders must be incredible. I cannot think of any athlete in the universe where an entire country's hopes and dreams hanging over him. In any other country, there are more than one athlete superstar or none at all. Here in the Philippines - its just him.

And he loves to fight for his country. Amid this rise, Pacquiao never forgets his roots, says his trainer, friend and mentor, Freddie Roach. "Sometimes I'm worried that he's too generous," Roach has said. "He has such a big heart and gives so much money, food and charity away that I'm afraid he'll give it all away." That generosity has made Pac-Man an idol to 90 million Filipinos.

So I'm excited beyond words about experiencing this thing with my fellow pinoys (filipinos). This will be special. I know my dad and family and many friends are also excited about this fight. My grandfather, who passed away last year loved Pacquiao. and would have loved this fight. We'll cheer him on together at the same time but just in different locations.

Pray for my safety.