Azkals, fans cheer Manny in Hanoi

HANOI – The Azkals greeted every cracking punch with oohs and cheers, delighted to see their idol and inspiration, boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, giving it to Chris Algieri in their showdown over in Macau.

The Pinoy booters attended a live viewing of the fight organized by the Filipino community here at a bar in Hanoi Tower. They all predicted a knockout and even placed friendly bets as to which round the Pacman would put Algieri to sleep. No one won in the end.

Azkals team manager Dan Palami said the players always see to it they watch Pacquiao’s fight together especially if they’re in training or tournament.

“When it comes to Manny, everybody in the Azkals is a big fan. We always watch his fights. Last time, we were in Bahrain, we watched it, too. We try not to miss any of his fights,” he said.

The Azkals draw inspiration from Pacquiao’s work ethic and thirst for excellence.

“I think we should be fighting like Pacquiao – moving forward, always clinical in his punches. At the end of the fight, he really still looks fresh, which means his conditioning level, his fitness level, is really high. I think he’s an athlete that all players should emulate,” said Palami.