Here are some of 
the things I expect this Sunday…
- No traffic and more or less, vehicles can be counted with bare hands during the entire morning and towards the mid-afternoon.
- Taxi drivers, the few who have to go out and work, will be tuning in on their radios.
- Just a few people on the streets—most if not all are packing the comfort of their homes, their eyes glued on television even though commercials will surely riddle the program they’ll be watching.
- Others are munching their popcorn-soda-combo while sitting with their friends inside cinemas, while the rest are having their buffet meals at one of the posh, five-star hotels.
- Rebels, Muslim fighters in the South as well as military and police force are expected to put down their arms and explosives in the name of Manny Pacquiao, who is expected to go all-out for the World Boxing Organization welterweight crown against the WBO’s reigning champion Miguel Cotto.
It’s just amazing how one person could completely halt the normal lives of people for one day—simply making people forget their daily grinds at work, the various challenges they face each day, among others.
After two months of intense preparation, everything now boils down to the big W, which Pacquiao’s American trainer Freddie Roach promises to happen come Sunday (Manila time, Saturday in the US) when the Filipino southpaw aims to become the first-ever boxer to win seven world boxing titles in seven different weight divisions at the historic MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
A win on Sunday raises Pacquiao’s amazing record to 50 wins as opposed to three defeats and two draws. He also has 37 knockouts in 54 professional fights.
On the other hand, Cotto, who previously held the WBA welterweight and WBO Light Welterweight crowns, owns an impressive professional fight record of 34 wins and just one loss, including 27 knockouts.
Manny, you’ve made every Filipino proud with your courage and passion! God bless, Manny!