COME Sunday, expect the Philippines to once again come to a virtual standstill. This is barely an exaggeration. Go to church on Sunday whenever Manny Pacquiao has a bout, and noticeably fewer people will be in attendance. If we believe the stories, coup attempts are postponed, and even the communist insurgents temporarily cease operations so they, too, can watch Pacquiao in action.

So, how will the Filipino hero fare this time around? Will he dismantle yet another proud Mexican fighter in his rematch with World Boxing Council superfeatherweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez?

Whatever happens, we’ve got it covered. Keep visiting The Pacquiao Files for the latest updates, and for our coverage of Pacquiao-Marquez II as it unfolds this Sunday.

To whet your appetite, check out the Sports channel of INQUIRER.net VDO for our Pacquiao clips — including all 12 rounds of last year’s epic encounter between Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera. And be sure to keep checking INQUIRER.net VDO this Sunday

GO, Manny!

Check out this video of Manny Pacquiao sparring in a San Francisco gym, taken by our US Director of Sales Esther Chavez, assisted by Raffy Lacap.

For more videos, visit INQUIRER.net VDO.

ARE you confident that Manny Pacquiao will defeat his old foe, Juan Marquez, the reigning World Boxing Council superfeatherweight champ?

Well, Pacman has assured Filipinos that he will do just that on March 15 when he and Marquez clash at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Here are two videos taken by INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Erika Tapalla during the press conference at Crowne Plaza.

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Online Videos by Veoh.com

CONGRATULATIONS to Filipino boxing champs Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire and Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista, who both defeated their Mexican opponents to retain their belts.

“The Filipino Flash” stopped Luis “Titi” Maldonado in the eighth round in Mashantucket, Connecticut, while “Boom Boom” won via a unanimous decision over Antonio “Barrio” Meza at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

In the same Boom Boom-Barrio fight card, AJ “Bazooka” Banal retained his World Boxing Organization Youth super flyweight with a ninth-round technical knockout against Mexican Jovanny “Bambino” Soto.

Kudos to our Filipino boxers!

AFTER watching this video taken by INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Erika Tapalla, you’ll know why International Boxing Federation and International Boxing Organization world flyweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. has earned the nickname “The Filipino Flash.” Here he’s shown sparring with his father Nonito Donaire Sr., who is also his coach and trainer.

This video was taken during Donaire’s press conference at the IMAX parking lot for his upcoming bout against Mexico’s Luis “Titi” Maldonado on Dec. 2, which will be simulcast over Solar Sports and GMA Network.

Now I just have one question: If you’re a Filipino, how the heck are you supposed to say the nickname of Donaire’s Mexican opponent with a straight face, hehe

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By Dennis U. Eroa
Inquirer

CHICAGO, Illinois–Joan Tipon’s Olympic dream will have to wait for now.

The reigning Asian Games bantamweight champion started cold and lost to archrival Worapoj Petchkoom of Thailand, 13-5, at the start of the International Amateur Boxing Association World Boxing Championships here Tuesday.

The foxy Thai, who lost to the Filipino in the 2006 Doha Asiad finals, was in complete command after taking a 3-0 lead at the end of a boring, action-less first round as Tipon boxed without his usual flair and confidence.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

By Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–The World Boxing Council has issued another call for super featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico to defend his title against Filipino star Manny Pacquiao in his next fight.

Marquez is slated to defend his title against Rocky Juarez on Nov. 3, and should he come out victorious, WBC president Jose Sulaiman wants him to stake his 130-lb title against Pacquiao.

If Juarez pulls off an upset, Sulaiman said he would also be mandated to defend against the Filipino boxing icon.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

By INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–International boxing champion Manny Pacquiao broke his silence on allegations he had an affair with actress Ara Mina.

Pacquiao told GMA-7’s “Showbiz Central” on Sunday that his relationship with the actress was strictly professional and never went beyond the set.

“Magkaibigan lang kami at saka may movie kami. Almost finished na yung movie. Nasa 70 percent na kami. Alam mo na pagka-ganoon, may mga intri-intriga,” Manny said in the interview.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

By Inquirer

CEBU CITY–Here’s Manny Pacquiao’s reply to lightweight king Juan Diaz’s challenge:

“If the price is right,” said the Filipino ring icon.

The retort came after Diaz unified three lightweight titles in his bout against Julio Diaz Sunday in Chicago when the latter failed to answer the bell in the ninth round.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

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.

[Read the rest of this entry »]