INQUIRER Sports

LAS VEGAS—What’s in a name? Depends on how you pronounce it, as a “famous personage from the Philippines” unfortunately found out.

Bob Arum, chief executive officer of Top Rank promotions, was rattling off the names on the Manny Pacquiao side of the presidential table during the press conference of the “Dream Match” on Wednesday when he began to stumble.

Arum had already introduced Pacquiao’s lawyer Franklin Gacal and adviser Rex “Wakee” Salud when he realized that he did not recognize the guy dressed in a buttoned-down orange shirt seated at the end of the table.

He rushed over to Pacquiao, the two exchanged whispers and Arum returned to the podium, saying: “And now we have a very famous personage from the Philippines, Governor Takasan.”

Pacquiao hurriedly turned to Arum and loudly uttered a correction, but the veteran promoter still got it wrong.

“Taka-jingson … whatever,” Arum said, drawing thigh-slapping guffaws from American journalists, including one from the Los Angeles Times who blogged about the incident on the paper’s online version.

The person Arum was referring to was no less than the whistle-blower who brought down a presidency, former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson.

Last-minute replacement

Arum tried to ride out the situation by quickly introducing trainer Freddie Roach, but he still couldn’t help but make one parting shot: “And now my favorite, a guy whose name I can pronounce…”

Apparently, Singson was a last-minute replacement for MP Productions head Rogelio Pacquiao, Manny’s brother, at the presidential table. Singson’s spot still had Rogelio’s name card facing the audience.

Singson, whose gambling revelations in 2000 led to the impeachment of President Joseph Estrada, tried to keep a game face.

After all, what’s in a name?

Nothing, if you ask Angelo Dundee.

Sure blockbuster

The legendary trainer said the Oscar De La Hoya-Pacquiao slugfest was a sure-fire blockbuster, especially because the two fighters were willing to engage in a phone-booth brawl.

Not only that, Pacquiao and De La Hoya are the biggest names in the sport right now—never mind if Americans still trip over the Filipino champion’s name.

“Here’s a kid who, half the time, we have a tough time spelling his name. But we know him as the Pacman,” Dundee said.

The press conference was held at the Hollywood Theater of the MGM Grand, venue of Saturday night’s fight.