Pacquiao-Diaz Las Vegas Week Blog

By Mario Ortega

Day of the Fight

8:30 AM: Fight day begins bright and early. I wake-up and get all my things together as I will be leaving tonight. Pack up the car and head to the credential desk where I need to take a picture for my arena credential. Head from there to hotel checkout (back across the hotel) and get checked out.

11 AM: Swann and I meet up to take a shuttle from the Mandalay Bay to Planet Hollywood, where Top Rank is hosting a media luncheon to discuss the Ricardo Torres-Kendall Holt rematch, which takes place July 5th. The shuttle takes us and a few other writers over to what is really a beautiful casino. With the small turnout at the shuttle, Swann and I are worried that it might be a small crowd, but a good size group had already arrived. Swann is friends with Barry Hunter, trainer of Lamont and Anthony Peterson, and spots his table. Lamont will be fighting Rogelio Castaneda Jr. in the Showtime televised co-feature on the 5th.

We sit at the table with Hunter, Peterson, Holt and his trainer. Hunter turns out to be a real cool guy and shares some stories from the amateurs and the road. Peterson is a bit quiet, but still has a good personality. He is chomping at the bit for fight night after the longest layoff of his boxing life. Speaking of chomping, the breakfast served is something special. I load up on the giant sausage links after not having had a real solid meal the day before. Holt turns out to be a real cool guy as well. One of the topics at the table is David Diaz. Holt stopped Diaz years back on Showtime. Holt recalls Diaz’ heart and how big the win was for his own career.

The press conference portion turns out to be pretty entertaining. Bob Arum gives a few good sound bytes and shares a few historical tidbits I had not heard of before. Such as he once booked NBA star Wilt Chamberlain to fight Muhammad Ali, when Chamberlain was in contract negotiations. Talk of a fight with Ali was cause for his team to cave in to his demands and the fight was called off.

1 PM: As things wrap up at the press conference, Swann and I head back to the Mandalay Bay. With only little over two hours until the first fight, I decided to write a quick report on the Planet Hollywood presser and undercard to the fight (which had not yet been posted on BoxRec). I begin writing at the Starbucks near the Events Center to soak up some of the environment. Pacquiao supporters have already begun to line up at the door and concession stands. After a while, I have soaked it in enough and head to the press room where I can think clearly. I finish my articles and check the boxing sites for a bit.

3:30 PM: I find my way to the media tables to look for my seat. I expect to be back a bit, since I am a newcomer, but I am pleasantly surprised. I am third row, just to the right of Doug Fischer and Alan Massengale, who are getting ready to do the internet broadcast of the undercard. Just about no one is there yet. Nonito Donaire’s fiancée Rachel spots me and sits in the seat to my left for a bit. She must be a real boxing fan, as other than Fischer, Massengale and I, she seems to be the only other person watching the fight.

Since I got it covered, Swann decides he will arrive a bit later. With the arena so empty, watching the first fight is like watching a television broadcast, since I can hear the commentators to my left crystal clear. As when I watch on TV, I try not to let their commentary effect my perception of the fight. Visit the main page for a full report on the undercard.

5PM: Just before Jesus Rojas and Alex Baba are about to enter the ring for the last off-TV fight, the caterers have the buffet ready in the press room. I weigh the pros and cons of possibly missing some of the action and eating right away, or hoping for a knockout so I don’t miss any of the action at all. I decide the food supercedes all.

Fortunately the bout plays back in the press room, but I do kick myself for missing the first round knockdown live. I pack on a slice of pizza, a burger and some chicken. Half way through I realize I am still a bit full from breakfast, but I push through and finish what I started. I then realize why a few of the top boxing writers are not at their ideal fighting weight.

6PM: Swann and I are back in our seats before the broadcast portion begins. Bout one turns out to be a surprise thriller as Steven Luevano keeps his WBO Featherweight title with a draw over Mario Santiago. Monte Barrett ends any hopes of credibility Tye Fields had, by knocking him out in less than a minute. In the third bout, referee Joe Cortez makes one of the oddest rulings of his career, awarding Francisco Lorenzo a DQ win over Humberto Soto and thus an interim title. All along, while I am focused on the bouts, I do intermittently take a look around and enjoy the moment.

8PM: The arena finally fills in as David Diaz is about to meet Manny Pacquiao. As Pacquiao makes his way out, the crowd goes nuts. The only thing I have seen like that was when I saw Ricky Hatton beat Juan Urango in a crazy loud ballroom at the Paris in Las Vegas. My seats were not nearly as good for that one either. It turns out to be a one-sided affair, as “Pacman” is simply too quick, too accurate and just too much for his opponent. Diaz gives a throwback effort, reminiscent of the black and white TV fights from the ‘50’s. He was not going to give up, no matter that he probably should have. When he went down, Mike and I were a bit worried. It did not look good and he had taken a ton of punishment. Further proving his heart, instead of going to the hospital as announced and has everyone assumed he would, Diaz showed up at the press conference with the same likeable guy demeanor he had on the press tour.

10:30 PM: As the press conference ends, I quickly formulate my fight report. Mike is sure to remind me not to get too wordy. After all the post-fight talk is done, Mike and I head out of the press room. We shake hands and say goodbye, hopefully to do it all again sometime soon.

Leaving Las Vegas

Two states, three fight cards in four nights and that’s a wrap. Saturday night is usually one for celebration in Sin City. But I have to get back to reality and head home. It was a crazy four days, but how many people can say they went to the Playboy Mansion and saw a big Las Vegas pay-per-view fight from the third row in a span of four days? I doubt many. While I rarely read one of these “boxing road journals,” it has been fun writing one. Hope someone out there enjoyed reading it.

Las Vegas Becomes Little Manila

8 AM: I am awoken by the wake-up call I had set up to get some early work in, and decide that was nuts and go back to sleep.

11 AM: Day three is re-launched. Shortly after I awaken, our editor Marc gives me a call to check in, make sure I am still alive and find out when he should expect the fight report from last night. On my way out of the casino I notice how the Mandalay Bay’s population has become largely Filipino. Las Vegas casinos must love Manny Pacquiao, as his fans are loyal and willing to travel. After finding an AT&T store and getting a new cell phone, I make my way to the media room, which is really buzzing. Not only that, but the caterers have arrived with a pretty sweet spread for us “working guys.” I see Swann, who asks where I have been, since I had told him I would be down early. I sit down to e-mail the report and check my mail. I read on our site that we have added Norm Frauenheim to our staff.

Frauenheim, of the Arizona Repubic newspaper based out of Phoenix, is one of the premiere writers in the business and has been covering boxing for years. I met Norm and our own Bart Barry in March of last year, before I became a fight writer, at the Desert Diamond Casino. I was in town visiting my brother Matt and dragged him to see Jhonny Gonzalez defend his WBO Bantamweight title against Irene Pacheco. Afterwards we bumped into Norm and Bart at the bar and I struck up a conversation with them and fellow boxing writer Phil Woolever. I mentioned I was interested in pursuing boxing writing. They all warned me that it was not the most lucrative racket, but were nice enough to hand me their business cards and share some stories from the road. Bart asked me to email him something I wrote, which I later did. I sent him a link to piece I wrote on a message board about my great uncle Johnny Ortega, who had fought in the 1950’s. He gave me some feedback, passed that link on to Marc and I was brought on board. Bart, whose Monday column is a must-read, helped guide me through early on with pointers and still drops me an email when he really likes something I have written.

Shortly after I finished reading about our newest edition, Swann comes over to grab me for the weigh-in and spots 15rounds’ Robert Morales, who had been seated across from me. Morales, another favorite fight scribe of mine, is another newspaper guy by trade, writing for the Long Beach Press-Telegram in addition to his work at ESPN.com and our site. Morales and Swann were meeting for the first time and I introduce myself as well. We briefly talk about things at 15rounds and Morales gives me some words of encouragement as I continue to find myself as a writer. I hustle out of the media room to catch the weigh-in.

2:30 PM: Michael Buffer is the MC, and does fills time on the microphone as we wait for the commission to get set up. This is the first big weigh-in I have covered and it is a crazy scene. Swann makes his way down as the weigh-in festivities are beginning. The Filipinos are out in force, waving flags, wearing Pacquiao paper masks, chanting and screaming. Pacquiao comes out to weigh-in first to a loud ovation.

Earlier in the press room, I overheard Fernando Vargas on the radio correct the interviewer, who had said Pacquiao’s name before Diaz’ when mentioning the fight. Vargas corrected him, saying that Diaz is the champion, so really the promotion should be called Diaz-Pacquiao. In reality I believe he is correct. It is something I used to notice as a fan, such as when Oscar De La Hoya fought Ricardo Mayorga. Even if we in the media question the value of some of these titles, in a world championship fight we really should mention the champion as the lead, no matter how popular the challenger is. Anyway, it was good to see promoters stick to the tradition of introducing the champion second at the weigh-in.

Diaz, accompanied by Vargas, weighed in next. While he did have a good cheering section as well, but they were mostly overridden by the deafening sound of Pacquiao supporters. Diaz and Pacquiao engage in a bodybuilding competition, flexing and posing side by side for photographers. Swann decides to leave as the undercard weighs in and I stay and take down the weights. By the time Jake Gutierrez is the new MC and the six, seventh and eighth bouts weigh in, I am pretty much one of four or five people paying attention.

3 PM: Now that I have my phone, I am able to make all the calls I want. Yesterday I had to find a pay phone in order to give my beautiful girlfriend of one year, Marie Gonzales, who was surprisingly supportive of my decision to cover a fight at the Playboy Mansion and then head to Vegas, a call to update her of things. She has been very supportive of this boxing thing I am pursuing, and often serves as my photographer for fights in California. After working the phones I decide to relax a bit upstairs before digging in to report on the weigh-in and work on a couple other stories. First bell is about 24 hrs away, as the undercard begins at 3:30 PM local time tomorrow afternoon.

Pacquiao-Diaz Week Blog: Part 2

 

Vegas

7 AM: Arrive at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on Thursday morning, where I will be staying. Earliest check-in is 9 AM, so I go over to the Starbucks in the lobby to sit down and kill time. The casino does not offer Wi-Fi until you have a room number to charge it to. My room is not ready at 9 AM, which is understandable really since that is a pretty early check-in. Eventually, a different room is ready, so I am able to settle in.

12 PM: I decide that instead of taking my long overdue nap, I will go to the media room to put together my pre-fight preview of tonight’s card from the Orleans, which Top Rank is also promoting. I obtain my temporary media credential and, after getting a little lost in the in the lower levels of the Mandalay Bay, find my way into the media room. I sit down and immediately get to work, typing up the preview to the Anthony Peterson-Fernando Trejo card. Since I was not in town for the weigh-in, it is lucky that Marc Abrams, our editor and the driving force behind 15rounds.com, was able to email me a copy of the full bout sheet and weights. While I am focused on my work, I do look around a bit and see promoter Bob Arum, ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael and other familiar boxing faces. For lack of a better word, I think of how cool it is that I am here covering a big Vegas card for the first time. I see Top Rank publicist Lee Samuels and say hello. Lee mentions that at 2 PM there will be a press conference to announce the signing of a new fighter. I know who he is talking about, as IBF Flyweight Champion Nonito Donaire Jr., had told me weeks earlier that he would have a press conference today, and it has been reported by us and others that he would sign with Top Rank.

Nonito and I have become good friends since I first interviewed him in May of last year. He is from San Leandro, California, and trains in Hayward, where I grew up. He even has taken time out of his busy schedule to work with my brother Mark in the gym. My first contribution to this site was an interview I did with him at the U.S. Karate & Boxing Gym, where he trains. At that time he was training to fight a .500 fighter on an off-TV card in Reno, Nevada. Since beating Vic Darchinyan for the title last summer he has become one of the more popular fighters in the lower weight classes, especially with the Filipino community. Unfortunately my cell phone, which I dropped leaving the Beverly Hills Hilton, is broken and I cannot call him to make sure. The 2 PM press conference ends any hopes I had of grabbing a nap before the card at the Orleans.

2 PM: Nonito, manager Cameron Dunkin, father/trainer Nonito Sr. and fiancée Rachel Marcial arrive at the media room. Nonito and Rachel tell me they had been calling me to let me know of the press conference. During the press conference, Arum announces his plan to have Nonito fight in either August or September in the United States and then again in October or November in Macau, China. As a writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area, I ask Arum if he plans on bringing Donaire back home for a fight. Arum, who has seen how the Bay Area’s Filipino community comes out in mass for Manny Pacquiao public appearances, says that there is a great possibility of that happening. He had told me in Berkeley, during the Pacquiao-Diaz build up, that he plans on putting together cards pitting Mexicans and Filipinos and that Northern California cities like San Francisco and Sacramento, due to their Filipino and Mexican populations, are possible future locations. Arum also mentions that the deal guarantees Donaire, who has been inactive since December, a minimum of three fights per year. Shortly after the press conference I return to my room to try and get a few minutes of rest before heading over to the Orleans.

4:20 PM: I head back down to meet up with one of the best boxing writers today, 15rounds.com’s Michael Swann. More often than not, when I mention to someone that I write for 15rounds.com, their first response is ‘Oh yeah, you guys have Michael Swann.’ We share a cab over to the Orleans, begin talking boxing and quickly hit it off. Neither of us know exactly where to go and there was no real credential for this card. After a little walking around we find our way to check-in. The lady at the desk and Mike turn out to be old friends and we have no problem getting our wristbands. The card turns out not to be the most exciting I have covered, but Top Rank prospects Vanes Martirosyan and Anthony Peterson won and look ready for the next level. Swann gives me a few tips during the event, which I appreciate. Miguel Angel “Mikey” Garcia scores a knockout win on the off-TV undercard in impressive fashion. Swann introduces me to Cameron Dunkin, who manages Garcia. I always hear his name, but I never had seen him in person before today. Nonito and his brother Glenn, who Cameron both manages, have always been very complimentary of Dunkin. Just from the short conversation he had with Swann, I can tell he really cares for his fighters, which no one could knock.

10 PM: Swann and I share a cab back to the Mandalay Bay (which he was nice enough to pay for). After getting a bite to eat, and failing to find an open store that sells a AT&T cell phone, I finally get some sleep.

DAY 1

This Saturday, June 28th, at the Mandalay Bay Resort Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, Manny Pacquiao attempts to wrest the WBC Lightweight title from underdog champion David Diaz. The Vegas fight weekend will be kicked off tonight at the Orleans Hotel & Casino, as Anthony Peterson takes on Fernando Trejo in the headlining bout to be televised by Versus.

Introduction
As I cover the big fight weekend in Vegas, I plan to give occasional updates and blurbs in the space to clue in fans what is going on in the sport’s capital city. To be completely honest, I have never really been the most avid reader of the boxing writer journal stories that are occasionally written. But there are readers that are, and I see this as a great opportunity to formally introduce myself to our 15rounds.com readers, as well as chronicle my first trip to Vegas as a boxing writer.

Fight Night at the Mansion

For me, Pacquiao-Diaz week begins in Beverly Hills, California on Wednesday night, where I was privileged enough to cover a Sycuan Ringside Promotions’ card from the world famous Playboy Mansion. While I did miss Pacquiao and Diaz’ grand entrance on Wednesday, it is a tradeoff I’d make any day of the week.

4:30 PM: After a brisk five hour drive from my Northern California home, I arrive at the lobby of the Beverly Hilton Hotel. It is there that I meet our very own columnist and Playboy Mansion frequenter Gary Herman. Oddly enough, Gary is the first 15rounds colleague I have met in person since joining the site last summer. Gary has done great work for us for a long time, especially with his coverage of MMA, and it was a pleasure to cover the rare event with him.

5:30 PM: After arriving at the Mansion, Gary and I take the mini tour of Hugh Hefner’s front yard, taking a minute or two to enjoy the scenery. A women’s bout opens the card shortly before ESPN2 goes on air at 8 PM, and Gary and I get into boxing writer mode. It is a very entertaining card. For a full report, check out the fight report on our main page. Amongst my intermittent mingling I get to meet one of my favorite boxing writers, David Avila, as well as other Southern California boxing regulars I do not see when covering the majority of my events up north.

Around 10:30 PM: The boxing event ends, as Santos Soto III of San Francisco, California is successful in his professional debut. Soto’s bout is a pleasant surprise for me, as I have followed his long amateur career from a far. His father was the driving force behind the revival of the San Francisco Golden Gloves a few years back, and Soto III has been a top Bay Area amateur for some time. I formally introduce myself to Soto, who is obviously on the natural high that comes with winning your pro debut (at the Playboy Mansion no less) and gives me a hug. While I do not root for fighters because I am of course a professional, it is good to see our locals do well. Hopefully some promoter will find a way to package them together and bring a pro show back to the main Bay Area cities again. But that is a soapbox for another day. I have covered many exciting boxing cards, in often great locations, but nothing compares to boxing at the Mansion. It is a totally different experience and I recommend it to anyone that has the opportunity.

10:30 - ?: As the boxing comes to an end, and Hugh and his girlfriends are safely behind the Mansion doors, things get a little loose outside. A naked man swimming, a female lifting her skirt and flashing any guy with a camera and all the alcohol you could imagine make for an interesting environment to say the least. The shuttle ride back to the hotel is one big party in and of itself.

11:30: I arrive back at the hotel and decided to write my report of the card in the lobby. The “Guest of Hugh Hefner” tag I have taped to the back of my laptop spurs questions from others in the lobby sitting area. Two of guys turn out to be familiar boxing figures Bobby Hitz, a former fighter and current promoter, and trainer/actor Jeff Langton. Hitz and Langton are both friendly and seem genuinely interested in my writing. Hitz is shocked that I viewed his short-lived boxing program that aired on Comcast SportsNet Chicago a few years back, especially since I am from California. Hitz will be heading to Vegas as well, as he is the promoter of Angel Hernandez, who fights Vanes Martirosyan on the Orleans undercard. Langton, too turns out an interesting conversation. If the name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, his face would, as he has co-starred alongside Jimmy Smits, Jean-Claude Van Damm and Lorenzo Llamas, among others. His highlight video on his web site LangtonBoxing.com is a blast. He is currently training unbeaten prospect, Johnny “The Bulldog” Suarez (2-0-1, 1 KO), who is fighting TBA on the Tavoris Cloud-Julio Gonzalez undercard in August. Other Mansion partiers turn out to be friendly as well, but I file my report and it is time for me to get on the road to Vegas.

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com