Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Mustapha Alauya
Manny Pacquiao’s fight would not be complete without his mother Dionesia Dapidran-Pacquiao’s amusing ringside antics. During his recent fight against Argentinian Lucas Matthysse last Sunday, July 15, at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Mommy D — as she is fondly called by his son’s fans — did not disappoint.
If there is one thing Mommy D is known for aside from being the mother of Manny, it is her intense praying and cheering during her son’s fights. Because she often gets carried away in praying for her son to win, in 2014, she was accused of using a “voodoo hex” against American boxer Timothy Bradley Jr.
A video of Mommy D intensely praying while clutching a rosary and a prayer book during her son’s recent fight was shared via Facebook by one netizen, Mustapha Alauya. It has gone viral with over 7.8 million views, 53,000 likes and reactions and 161,000 shares, as of this writing .
Sitting between a guy wearing a red shirt who appears to be her boyfriend, Michael Yamson and Manny’s wife, Jinkee Pacquiao, the coat-clad Mommy D was seen fidgeting while praying. Interestingly, there was also a point when she seemed to have been blowing or muttering something while facing the boxing ring.
The excited mother sometimes even threw punches in the air. At one point, she raised her hands and head in prayer. The video was focused next on the ongoing fight, and surprisingly, the next frame showed Mommy D at it again: kneeling and her right hand’s fingers waving, as if casting a spell. It was not shown, however, if Manny’s mother was uttering a prayer.
Netizens were quick to comment on Mommy D’s video. Some find her ringside behavior inspiring, as it shows how much she supports her son.
Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Mustapha Alauya
Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Mustapha Alauya
Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Mustapha Alauya
While Mommy D’s ringside antics did not land her in hot water over alleged use of voodoo spell, netizens found her intense praying and cheering amusing. Some of them pointed out that Mommy D looks like she’s using witchcraft of some sort. One netizen, Ricky Corteza Panes, commented that Manny’s mother appears like she was being possessed by an evil spirit.
Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Mustapha Alauya
Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Mustapha Alauya
Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Mustapha Alauya
Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Mustapha Alauya
Another netizen, Ivan Capz, jokingly said that Mommy D was using “genjutsu” and “ninjutsu.” In the Japanese manga series “Naruto”, “ninjutsu” and “genjutsu” are two of the three “jutsu” or mystical arts used in battles. Both use chakra, but the main difference between them is that “genjutsu” techniques’ effects are illusory as it manipulates the flow of chakra in the victim’s brain to disrupt one’s senses.
Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Mustapha Alauya
Some commenters, however, did not find Mommy D’s ringside antics entertaining, going as far as labeling her as an overacting attention-seeker. Some called her an embarrassment for even going in front of the boxing ring to pray, for everyone to see.
Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Mustapha Alauya
Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Mustapha Alauya
Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Mustapha Alauya
Image: Screengrab from Facebook/Mustapha Alauya
Amusing or not, it is undeniable that Mommy D’s ringside antics surely spice up Manny’s fights. JB
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