When you think of boxing fans, you might picture a bunch of guys with beer paunches shouting and punching the air. The reality: a gaggle of nannies by day and squealing boxing nuts by night hoping for a knockout.
Manny Pacquiao is a national hero with an unlikely following. Considering there are more than 172,000 Filipinos living in Toronto alone, according to the 2006 Census, Manny or "Pac-Man" as he's affectionately known, is a big export and source of pride to many expats from the Philippines.
The boxer's third match against Mexico's Juan Manual Marquez was cause for a party this past weekend.
"Everyone loves him, even the little children," 24-year-old nanny Maurenn Sardina told the Star. For Pac's female entourage, it's not so much about the gore (although Sardina claims to "like the punching") but the victory of a good man.
Not only is Pac-Man the source of nose bleeds, he also happens to be a congressman in the Philippines.
"He helps a lot of people back home," claimed another caregiver, Susan Destura, who has called Canada home for the past four years. "He's very humble."
It must also be a great way to let your hair down after a day spent contending with runny noses and meltdowns. The nannies weren't disappointed; Pac came out on top against Marquez.
Are you a devout follower of a national sport? While I'm no fan, I think hockey, to Canucks -- and boxing to Filipinos -- is as much about the game as it is about national pride and fostering a sense of community.
Go, Pac, go!
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