THE crowd inside the San Andres Gym in Manila was nowhere near the crowds seen in this edifice at the peak of Manny Pacquiao's popularity.
But the smiles in the fans' faces remains the same.
Granted Pacquiao fights no longer make traffic disappear in Metro Manila like they used to. But the joy his victories give to the masses who consider him the people's champion is still beyond compare.
Take his fight against Lucas Matthysse, for example, which was shown for free at the San Andres Gym courtesy of the city government.
Gym personnel estimated the crowd to be around 2,500. That's kind, considering a radio station placed its estimate at 1,500.
During Pacquiao's heyday, hundreds of fans had to be turned away from the 5,000-capacity gym, staffers said.
But those who turned up ended up getting a treat, as Pacquiao delivered a vintage performance in a sevent-round TKO win over Matthysse on Sunday.
See for yourself the joy of the crowd:
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