Mandalay Bay Events Center Failed Ticket Sell Out on MANNY PACQUIAO vs. DAVID DIAZ 'LETHAL COMBINATION' Fight

Bob Arum blamed George W. Bush for the failed ticket sell out at Mandalay Bay Events Center with a rather paltry crowd of 8,362.

Bob Arum says:

"There's one guy you can blame, and that's George Bush, with gasoline prices the way they are, people just can't afford to come in from California."

My brother who attended the fight at Mandalay Bay told me that there were many vacant seats at the $ 400 seat level.

Well, my personal views on the low ticket sales could probably attest to the following:

1. David Diaz wasn't fully supported by the Mexicans because Diaz was born in the U.S. thus making him a U.S. citizen despite his father being a Mexican. Mexican national anthem wasn't played before the fight yet still a number of Mexicans waved the Mexican flag at the Mandalay Bay.

2. Only a number of Filipino celebrities showed up at the Mandalay Bay. Regular Filipino celebrities seen usually in a Pacquiao fight but were absent this time around : the late Rudy Fernandez (obviously) and wife Lorna T., the Gutierrez family - Eddie and Richard Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama (busy at the premiere of 'My Monster Mom'), Jestoni Alarcon (opted to view the fight in a Philippine cinema), Edgar Mortiz, Bong Revilla and Lani Mercado, Jude Estarda, Cogie Domingo etc.

3. Many Filipinos in the U.S. opted to watch the fight at HBO pay per view in the comfort of their homes. Filipinos in the Philippines who used to go to Las Vegas to watch the fight opted to see the fight in Philippine cinemas probably due to hard times in the Philippines.

So, what do you think ?


I wonder if the Pacquiao-Diaz shirts sold like hotcakes


Compassionate Manny, idol !

FREDDIE ROACH (Manny Pacquiao's trainer) with my kid brother March 14, 2008

My brother Darwin who resides with his lovely wife May and daughter Alyzza in Las Vegas, attended the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez weigh-in (Pacquiao vs. Marquez II dubbed 'Unfinished Business') at the Manadalay Bay Events Center. Before the scheduled weigh-in, he chance upon a shining personality at the entrance of the Mandalay Bay Events Center - FREDDIE ROACH, Manny Pacquiao's boxing trainer.

Here are some photos of the encounter...


Freddie Roach was gracious enough to lend his boxing glove to my brother Darwin for this photo-opportunity.




My brother told me that they wore the exact Oakley eyeglasses.

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Here are some info on Freddie Roach...

Known as "La Cucaracha" and "The Choir Boy", Roach turned pro in 1978 and spent most of his career as a Lightweight journeyman fighter. Roach was on the losing end of most of his high profile bouts. He dropped fights to former super lightweight champ Bobby Chacon and former lightweight champs Greg Haugen and Hector Camacho Sr.. Roach relied on a durable fighting style, and tried to outlast opponents in the ring. He was willing to take a shot to give a shot and ultimately this took its toll. Roach only went 13-12 in the last part of his career after starting 26-1.

Roach is the owner of the Wildcard Boxing Club in Los Angeles, and is currently one of the most popular trainers in boxing. Roach was voted Trainer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America in 2003, 2006 and 2007. Roach trains junior lightweight champion Manny Pacquiao and trained Oscar De La Hoya for his May 5 2007 superfight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

It is frequently noted on HBO that Roach suffers from Parkinson's disease, due to injuries sustained as a fighter, and severed a training relationship with Wayne McCullough due to McCullough's insistence on continuing to fight

article source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Roach_%28boxing%29