By Recah Trinidad
Inquirer

LAS VEGAS–Manny Pacquiao, who on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) earned his spurs as a finesse fighter, declared after a thanksgiving Mass here Monday he was not yet moving up to the 135-pound lightweight class.

Pacquiao likewise clarified that his proposed duel with World Boxing Council 130-lb. champion Juan Manuel Marquez was still on.

“No, hindi,” Pacquiao told team insider Hermie Rivera, who tried to confirm reports emanating from Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino that the Filipino boxing star planned to turn full lightweight after his ordeal with the weighing scales before his second conquest of Marco Antonio Barrera Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila) here.

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By Recah Trinidad
Inquirer

LAS VEGAS–Manny Pacquiao, landing sporadic big shots but failing to follow up, carved out a unanimous decision victory over Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera, who later announced his retirement at the Mandalay Bay Resort Casino here (Sunday in Manila).

The wily Mexican, shaken by a thunderclap combination, threw a dirty right cross off a clinch late in the 11th round, a foul blow that visibly saved him from a crushing onslaught.

Referee Tony Weeks called an instant halt to the most furious, suspenseful moment in the 12-round bout and slapped a point deduction against Barrera, who wisely used the break to clear his head and steady himself up.

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By Recah Trinidad
Inquirer

LAS VEGAS–The great Sugar Ray Leonard said he would not be surprised if Manny Pacquiao, whom he admires, wins inside six rounds.

“He’s a tremendous puncher, with great speed and boundless stamina,” said Leonard, who was part of the main cast in Thursday’s press conference.

He said he’s amazed at Pacquiao’s work ethic that includes endless labors resulting in undiminished power until the final bell.

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CHECK out the Manny Pacquiao-Marco Antonio Barrera “Will to Win” trailer provided by Solar Sports. Solar Sports is airing the bout live on October 7, 2007.

By June Navarro
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–Somebody has just put the Philippines in the practical shooting world map.

Grace Tan bagged the ladies’ open crown in the European Intercontinental Handgun Championship held recently in Cheval Blanc, France, besting reigning world ladies champion Gabriele Kraushofer of Austria.

A two-time silver medalist in the world championships for practical shooting, Tan collected 1,353 points while Kraushofer had 1,314.

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By Salven Lagumbay, Dong Secuya
Inquirer

CEBU CITY–Unheralded Negrense Donnie Nietes won by unanimous decision over previously undefeated Pornsawan Kratingdaenggym of Thailand to capture the World Boxing Organization minimumweight crown at the Waterfront Cebu Hotel Sunday night and give the Philippines its fourth world title this year.

Nietes, from Murcia, Negros Occidental, raised his record to 22 wins and one defeat with 13 knockouts while handing Cebu’s famed ALA Boxing Gym of Antonio L. Aldeguer its maiden world crown.

The judges saw it 116-110, 115-111 and 114-113, all for Nietes.

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By Recah Trinidad
Inquirer

LOS ANGELES–Hotly favored Manny Pacquiao prepared to shift to war mode Sunday, a full week before his big battle in Las Vegas, but the Sportsbook here registered a considerable dip in his bet approval rating.

Pacquiao’s windy workman’s hair is set to be trimmed Monday, the goatee he had grown in training shaven, but there were contrasting speculations on why the enormous odds favoring him to repeat over Marco Barrera slid.

From a whopping minus-350, it’s down to minus-290, meaning you’d need to wager $290 for a possible return of only $100.

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By Jasmine W. Payo
Inquirer

GAMES THURSDAY (Araneta Coliseum)
3 p.m. — Univ. of the East vs La Salle
(Game 1, best-of-three Finals)

MANILA, Philippines–It was the biggest winning margin in the rivalry that more than lived up to its hype this season. And the win also turned out to be the biggest of them all.

De La Salle University ended its rare five-game saga with arch rival Ateneo de Manila University on top as the Green Archers turned back the Blue Eagles, 65-60, Sunday to clinch the last UAAP Finals berth in front of a 23,000-strong sellout crowd at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

“This is the only time that two is greater than three,” said La Salle coach Franz Pumaren. “They beat us three times (this season), but we beat them when it counted the most.”

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