Pacquiao feels blessed, honored to lead ‘Thrilla in Manila’ festivities

MANILA, Philippines, October 2 ------ The commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the fabled “Thrilla in Manila” reaches its pinnacle on October 29 when world champion Melvin Jerusalem and other elite Filipino boxers tackle foreign opponents at the Araneta Coliseum.

Joining Jerusalem, who’ll be staking the World Boxing Council strawweight title against South African Siyakholwa Kuse, in the limelight are Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial, unbeaten Carl Jammes Martin, and former world champion Marlon Tapales. Marcial will be tested by Venezuelan knockout artist Eddy Colmenares in their battle for the WBC international middleweight belt, while Martin is pitted against Thai veteran Aran Dipaen in a super bantamweight tussle. Tapales will tangle with Venezuelan Fernando Toro in another super bantamweight encounter.

Muhammad Ali, regarded as the greatest boxer of all time, beat Joe Frazier by corner stoppage before the 14th round started, in their world heavyweight title fight on October 1, 1975, at the Araneta Coliseum, temporarily renamed the Philippine Coliseum for the event. Both Ali and Frazier are dead, and to provide a lineage link, middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of Ali, has been included in the card and will clash with Thai Patunpong Saengarun.

Carlos Padilla Jr., the referee of the brutal Ali-Frazier bout, is already 91 years old but is expected to watch the fights. Manny Pacquiao, boxing’s lone eight-division world champion, is spearheading the commemoration activities, which have also drawn the full support of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos. “I’m so happy and blessed to be the prime mover of this event,” said Pacquiao during Wednesday’s press conference. “I wasn’t born yet when it was held and yet I was given the distinction to head its commemoration.”

In Memorandum Circular 99, the President hailed the “Thrilla in Manila” as “a sporting and cultural milestone that brought global recognition to the Philippines.” The President has instructed government agencies like the Philippine Sports Commission, headed by Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, to support the activities lined up for the “Thrilla in Manila.”

Source: rappler.com