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Celebrities flocking to Nov. 14 showdown at MGM
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Celebrities and athletes are expected to swarm the MGM Grand Arena on November 14 to watch the fight of the year. "Firepower" between Manny Pacquiao and welterweight champion Miguel Cotto is anticipated to have the biggest gathering of celebrities and athletes for 2009 in a non-awards ceremony event (i.e., ESPYS or MTV Movie Awards) or major sports championship game (i.e. Super Bowl).
CLICK: Hollywood Stars Expected to Attend
With barely a week to go, the outsized hype appears justified. Two proud island nations are represented on the world stage: Puerto Rico and the Philippines. A victory for Pacquiao could set up the biggest fight in sports since Muhammad Ali fought Joe Frazier in the "Thrilla in Manila" in 1975. Bob Arum alluded that such a bout could be arranged, among other venues, at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas, which opened in 2009 (at a cost of nearly $1.2 billion). Such a venue would seat close to 110,000. A win for Cotto could set up a big welterweight fight at New York's Yankee Stadium in the summer of 2010. In an interview, former U.S. presidential candidate and current Arizona Senator John McCain has stated that he would like to see Floyd Mayweather, Jr. fight Manny Pacquiao. McCain was an amateur boxer during his days as a cadet and student at the U.S. Naval Academy. He mentioned that he won roughly half his fights and had a "rugged" boxing style.
CLICK: Sports Athletes Expected to Attend
The buzz for the fight comes a week after pound-for-pound king is being featured on the cover (Asia edition) of TIME Magazine (Related Article: "A man of our times: Pacquiao on TIME Magazine"). Pacquiao recently won the Gusi Peace Prize in the Philippines, considered the regional version of the Nobel Peace Prize - the first athlete to receive it. During the May 2nd fight with then-lineal junior welterwight champion Ricky Hatton, former MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) rebels watched the fight alongside with Philippine soldiers in the jungles of the southern island of Mindanao. The same is likely to occur during November 14.
Former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was the last fighter featured (1988) on the cover of TIME. Prior to that, ring icon Muhammad Ali was featured in 1978. The late Philippine President Corazon Aquino was also prominently displayed on the cover in the mid-1980s after the "People Power" revolution that topped then-dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
CLICK: Hollywood Stars Expected to Attend
It was a busy week for the Filipino. On Tuesday evening, Pacquiao appeared on the popular late night show Jimmy Kimmel Live! (See: "7 Questions for Manny from ABC's Jimmy Kimmel"), with former Playboy playmate Pamela Anderson as the other main guest. His last fight against British Ricky Hatton had several stars on attendance. Among them included Tom Jones, rappers Jay-Z and P Diddy, comedian Cedric the Entertainer, actors Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg, Jack Nicholson, and Jeremy Pivens. Numerous star athletes were on ringside.
Many more are expected for the last "mega-fight" of the decade of the 2000s. Promoters are expecting pay-per-views to exceed one million (in the U.S.) despite a deep global economic recession, and the event should provide a temporary escape for casual fans. (This week, the U.S. Labor Department estimated unemployment figures at 10.2%, higher than economists' prediction of 9.9%.)
CLICK: Sports Athletes Expected to Attend
Puerto Rican and Philippine VIPs, celebrities and politicians are also expected to attend. Over 20 members of the Philippine Congress may be in attendance on November 14. (See: "Pacquiao Fight Delaying Proposed Changes To Constitution") Manny Pacquiao, a political aspirant in the Philippines, visited with former U.S. President Bill Clinton days before the Hatton fight. His network in Hollywood and with mainstream athletes are growing. In the past year, he has met with athletes Ron Artest, Kobe Bryant, Gilbert Arenas; actors Mark Wahlberg, Mickey Rourke, Mario Lopez, and Christian Bale among numerous famous personalities.
Familiar faces, and more, will be at ringside next Saturday at the MGM Grand Arena, including welterweight champion Shane Mosley and lightweight champion Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez. Both have a potential stake in the outcome of the bout. Will we see former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in attendance? Stay tuned . . .
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