DUBAI It’s going to be an unusually early start for Filipino Daryl Danilo this Sunday. The 24-year old who works as a merchandiser at an electronics showroom in a Dubai mall, only gets home by 2am every day after a late shift.
But on May 3 he is willing to give up his sleep and head to the nearest Novo Cinemas theatre in three hours. For Dh99, he’s bought a ticket to see his country’s iconic boxer Emmanuel Dapridan Pacquiao, or simply Manny to over 100 million Filipinos worldwide, take on American Floyd Mayweather Jr. live in what is being billed as The Fight of the Century.
‘Our pride’
“It’s once in a lifetime and any price is good price to pay,” says Danilo, who earns Dh2,250 per month. “He is our pride and it is our moral responsibility to be by his side, at least in spirit. That’s the least we can do for our Pambansang Ninong (national Godfather),” explains Danilo why Sunday is not going to be just another day for him and many others from his country who have also bought tickets to watch the fight.
The fight will be shown live at Novo CinemasCineplex, Ibn Battuta Mall, Al Ghurair Mall and Dubai Festival City in Dubai, the World Trade Centre Mall theatre in the capital and Sharjah’s Mega Mall theatre. Tickets incude a free breakfast.
However, a lot many are planning big parties at home with friends and families as OSN is broadcasting the fight in the UAE live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena on the famous Las Vegas Strip from 5am.
“Thankfully I don’t work Sundays and I will be joined by my wife, brother in law and sister who have all managed to get a day off plus a gang of friends who are all either going to work late or will be somehow managing to stay off work,” says Rizaldy Torres, 40, who paid Dh125 to ‘buy’ the ‘pay-per-view’ package to catch the fight, expected to the richest in boxing history, generating more than $300 million..
“We will bake and prepare a lavish breakfast and hoping Manny wins, so we will follow it up with a great lunch with some homemade adobos. The excitement is just amazing and I hope so many of us will not be disappointed,” says Torres, a “gifts adviser” at a confectionery stall, who is expecting at least 20 guests in his Karama one bedroom hall.
Pacqiao, 36, is the first and only boxer to win world titles in eight weight divisions, but many are also rooting for an American victor in Mayweather, 38, a five-division world champion, in contrast.
“It’s the “fight of the century” and it’s happening live in Vegas, so we couldn’t ignore this monumental morning of action. As an American, it doesn’t get better than this and hope it all ends well for us,” says American James Grueter, Franchise Business Manager, Original Wings and Rings that’s also screening the fight over a special ‘kick-start-the-day’ breakfast at the DIFC restaurant.
