Kapihan sa Kanto

Rehearsals for the cantata at church were very distracted. There was a TV on the set for the video playback, but mostly it was tuned to the live telecast of the much-awaited Pacquiao-Morales fight. Our hero vs. Mexico's.

We were on the edge of our seats from the very first round. We even prayed by the third round. We were still there when we saw Pacquiao's eye bleed. Finally, I had to leave the church and attend my new inaanak Arjhane's dedication at Kamayan. Later, Micah gave me an SMS report: Pacquiao lost, but lost victoriously. "The Philippines should be proud," Micah added with a sympathetic smiley, because he probably knew how crestfallen I was despite my general disinterest in sports like these.

And you know, I am proud. I'm proud of Pacquiao and how he valiantly fought to the 12th round, half for himself and half for the rest of us in this country who badly needed to win at something, anything, just to regain a little bit of the hope we once had.

Here is the report from News24.com:

Las Vegas - Manny Pacquiao fought desperately with blood flowing down his face from a bad cut over his right eye. Against another fighter it may have been enough, but Erik Morales was not just another fighter.

Morales, fighting with the cool precision of a champion who has been there many times before, got the better of Pacquiao with jabs and big right hands on Saturday night to win a close but unanimous decision in their super featherweight showdown.

No title was at stake, but there was plenty of national pride. Pacquiao is a national hero in the Philippines while Morales is revered in Mexico, and between the two they drew a sell-out crowd of 14 623 to the MGM Grand hotel to see them brawl.

They didn't disappoint, going after each other from the opening bell in a fight that grew in intensity after Pacquiao was cut in the fifth round when he was hit with a right hand and the two boxers clashed heads.

Though blood flowed in his eye, Pacquiao fought gallantly and the two fighters went toe-to-toe in a frenetic 12th round that had the crowd standing and cheering.

All three judges had Morales the winner, but not by much. He won 115-113 on the ringside scorecards, while The Associated Press had Morales ahead 116-112.