CHICAGO — As soon as the elevator doors parted at the 26th floor of the MGM Hotel's West Tower, I immediately sniffed the expensive perfume, the unmistakable scent of Chanel No.5.
A lady in a designer black ensemble emerged. A red Coco Chanel bag hung on her left shoulder and her teeth were white as milk.
She was gorgeous. Hotter than Kandahar.
"Do you know where Senator Manny's suite is?" she asked.
I froze for a while, but when I did recover from the shock and temporary loss of my mental faculties I was able to reply to her inquiry and eventually carry on a conversation.
As it turned, she wasn't just another pretty face.
She is one of Senator Pacquiao's private pilots. Last year, she had the honor of having flown president Rodrigo Duterte within the Philippines, and most recently, she piloted for the Prime Minister of New Guinea.
Her name is Captain Irene Mora, a graduate of the prestigious California Flying Academy. Her family owns Mora Air Services and the Manila Aeroclub Flying Academy. She can steer aircrafts big and small, including the massive 737.
Impressive.

Irene is 32 and single. I don't know if she's necessarily ready to mingle, but I do know that she's living the life flying VIPs and dignitaries and doing what she's always envisioned since she was only three years old.
Mabuhay ka, Captain Mora.
BEER TREAT. On the rare occasions that I drink beer, my choices are easily narrowed down to either Stella Artois, a Belgian brew, or Warsteiner, one of Germany's finest. If I want to sleep early, I'd swig four or five Heinekens.
But when it comes to round girls, make mine Tecate beer.
While waiting for the Pacquiao-Thurman brawl I chanced upon the now famous Tecate round girls at the inner bowels of the Grand Garden Arena.

In the euphoria of being squeezed by two of the planet's most beautiful creations, I didn't catch their names. But their alluring Spanish accent sure did catch my attention.
The ladies were super friendly, eager to please. No wonder they are showcased in weigh-ins and big fight cards. They're part of boxing's pomp and pageantry, not just eye candy in between rounds.
CAT IN THE RING. I caught a glimpse of reigning Miss Universe Catriona Gray when Pacquiao was making his ring entrance. I saw it on live TV when she won the coveted title and actually seeing her in the flesh evoked memories of that goose bumps moment.
Ms. Gray wasn't the only beauty queen at the Garden on the night of Pacquiao's epic conquest of Keith Thurman. Ruffa Guttierez was in the house.
Now 45 and a mother of two, Ruffa is lovely as ever, keeping that iridescent glow that made her Binbining Pilipinas 1993. Her hair was long and unencumbered, glinting with a shade of auburn.

Ruffa was mobbed by fans at her ringside seat and she merrily consented to numerous selfie requests. She was a gamer and conducted herself with the grace and poise befitting a movie star.
The show must go on.
Watching Pacquiao exchange heavy bombs with Thurman was hard on the nerves. But the beauties who attended the spectacle was so easy on the eyes.
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