THE biggest fight in recent memory is set on Sunday (May 3, Philippine time). Our very own Manny Pacquiao is pitted against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the world welterweight unification bout in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao owns one 147-lb belt, Mayweather two.
The winner takes all three. We are exceedingly proud, therefore, of Pacquiao, whose almost two decades of boxing is mostly highlighted by spectacular victories on the grandest stage of the sport.
For him to be in the sport’s most expensive fight in history that took six years in the making—longer than World War II itself—is something that is hard to surpass, let alone equal, for years and years to come.
Before this fight, which is billed to gross no less than $500 million, there was the Ali-Frazier “Thrilla in Manila.” That fight at the Cubao Big Dome on October 1, 1975, was then ballyhooed as the “biggest boxing event in history.”
But then, that pales now in comparison with the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight in practically all matters surrounding the sweet science—from purse total to ticket pricing to pay-per-view takes, etc.
Pacquiao alone can catch a cool $120 million and Mayweather $180 million. And that does not include revenues more from pay-per-view hits, gate receipts, hotel clientele, etc., which they will split 60-40.
The Ali-Frazier bout drew $24 million, making it boxing’s biggest purse—until the Pacquiao-Mayweather bout was announced on February 20.
And while a $20 ticket for the Ali-Frazier encounter was considered pricey in 1975, look at the ticket prices in the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight: The cheapest nine days into the fight was $5,245 and the costliest $106,950. It used to be that 20 cars tailing Pacquiao’s bus en route to Las Vegas from Los Angeles in his previous fights were considered “crazily too many” already.
But look at this. No less than 100 vehicles trooped to Vegas in one line from Pacquiao’s residence near Hollywood. In the vehicle convoy were Pacquiao’s Ferrari and Benz SL, although Pacquiao was onboard his custom-built Limo Motor Home with his wife, Jinkee, and five children. Of course, PacMom Mommy D was also aboard during Tuesday’s four-hour trip. Include PacMom’s love/BFF, Michael.
But while the world waits with bated breath for the fight to begin on Sunday noon, Philippine time, in a little corner of BGC in Taguig City is also all set to stage its own Pacquiaomania.
Danny “Sir John” Isla, the president of Lexus Manila Inc., will play host once more to his motoring media friends, Lexus lovers and select allies in presenting the fight live on a giant screen at the newly renovated Lexus Showroom.
“The tradition continues,” said Sir John, who began this breakthrough innovation of assembling those close to him and—in no time—even his mere passing acquaintances to a private viewing of Pacquiao fights starting with the 2010 Pacquiao-Cotto fight. “Pacquiao always gives us a reason to share laughter, food and drinks and, overall, joy with anyone near or far to us.”
I can’t think of another car company other than Lexus that consistently hosts its associates to a free viewing of Pacquiao fights. The fiesta atmosphere is spiked with free food and drinks—before, during and, most especially, after the fight.
In short, you can only win here—even if you lose some money in a friendly betting system that embellishes every Pacquiao-fueled occasion.
Actually, it is the togetherness among carefully selected guests that counts in the end, as Lexus has now impeccably made this Sunday Super Special a cornerstone of friendship.
Thus, this Lexus legacy has helped cement the car company’s sincere concern not only to its clients but also to those that have touched, continue to touch, the entity’s mantra of pursuit for perfection.
Win or lose, Pacquiao will make the Lexus torch burning so bright.
Maserati’s ‘Neptune in the Wind’
Celebrated recently in Shanghai was the unveiling of Italian sculptor Oliviero Rainaldi’s one-man show. It drew more than 200 VIPs, including Maserati President Harald Wester, Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) Director Samuel Kung and Rainaldi himself.
The Maserati-related work goes back 100 years, when, in 1914 in Bologna, Italy, the Maserati brothers adopted the symbol of the Trident, which was created by family artist Mario Maserati and inspired by the famous statue of Neptune in Bologna. It was made as the logo to encapsulate the company’s identity in a single image.
Rainaldi’s Neptune in the Wind is in bas-relief on a slab of crystal white marble measuring 260cm high by 190cm wide and weighing 600 kg.
The final work sets out the Maserati brand: power, dynamism, speed and elegance—symbolized by the mythical figure of Neptune with the Trident.
If you are in Shanghai, you can view Rainaldi’s Neptune and other works, which are on display at MoCa until May 24 under the sponsorship of Maserati, which sold 9,400 units in China in 2014 for an astonishing growth of 148 percent over its 2013 sales.
I love art, as my only son has a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from UP-Diliman (ahem!) so that if local Maserati man Willy Soong will give me a call, why, I’ll come running.
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PEE STOP. The seven-seater Honda Mobilio was launched this week to a standing ovation. Cheers, May Ann and Kat!…The farewell night for Nabuo Izumina-san at Solaire’s Grand Ballroom ended on a sentimental note, embellishing his tearful speech with, “I had a very enriching experience here that I will cherish and remember for the rest of my life.” Again, sayonara, Izumina-san.