As the country celebrates Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao’s emphatic seventh-round KO victory over Lucas Matthysse, GMA Network also takes pride in being the Filipinos’ preferred channel during the highly-anticipated Fight of Champions: Pacquiao versus Matthysse, which aired via satellite last Sunday, July 15.
The Kapuso Network similarly won over the competition in broadcasting the Pacquiao-Matthysse bout on free TV according to the industry’s widely trusted rating service provider Nielsen TV Audience Measurement. GMA posted an overnight people audience share of 49.2 percent in the National Urban Television Audience Measure (NUTAM), which topped ABS-CBN’s 30.7 percent.
Meanwhile, an exclusive blow-by-blow coverage of the fight was aired on GMA’s flagship AM radio station Super Radyo DZBB 594 kHz along with RGMA Super Radyo stations nationwide.
Boxing fans abroad also got the chance to see the fight on pay-per-view in over 70 countries worldwide via GMA International’s partner distribution outlets.
The eight-division boxing world champion Pacquiao now holds the World Boxing Association (WBA) Welterweight title.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao issued a statement on the issue that he was giving out cash after winning the Welterweight title. Soon after he won, a series of posts leading to a Facebook page said that the boxer-politician is selecting 60 people on social media who would receive cash and a brand-new car.
“Nakarating sa aking kaalaman na may mga kumakalat na balita sa social media na ako ay mamimigay ng mga premyo bilang balato dahil sa aking pagkaka panalo. Nais ko pong ipaalam sa lahat na walang katotohanan ang mga ito. Fake news po ang contest na ito kaya’t huwag po kayong maniniwala at magpapaloko sa maling balita,” Pacquiao said in a statement sent to MS Entertainment.