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| Uniprom Inc. Chief Operating Officer Irene Jose and Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao (Image Source: Manila Standard/Araneta City) |
Fifty years after the legendary “Thrilla in Manila” cemented the Philippines’ place in boxing lore, the spirit of that historic rivalry is set to be dramatically revived — and it’s being championed by the nation’s greatest fighting icon Manny Pacquiao. The eight-division world champion is going all out to ensure the 50th anniversary of the Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier epic receives a celebration worthy of its name. No less than Pacquiao's powerhouse boxing stable MP Promotions has taken the cudgel to stage the anniversary card featuring the best and brightest of rising Filipino boxing talent.
The main event honors the past while building the future. MP Promotions, in partnership with Araneta City and its entertainment arm Uniprom Inc., is stacking the card with a roster that promises fireworks including Olympic medalist Eumir Marcial, Melvin Jerusalem, the undefeated Carl Jammes Martin, and former world titleholder Marlon Tapales as well as Ali's grandson Nico Ali Walsh with families of Ali and Frazier and boxing world champions expected to grace the showcase. For Pacquiao whose own legendary career was built on fighting the world’s best, this is a strategic move to pass the torch. In a recent statement about the event, Pacquiao presumably stated, “The ‘Thrilla in Manila’ is more than a fight; it’s a part of our national identity. It showed the world the heart of the Filipino. Now, it is our turn to give a platform to the next generation of champions. Through MP Promotions, we are not just commemorating history, we are creating it again at the very same place where Ali and Frazier made magic.” The stage for this historic revival is none other than the Smart Araneta Coliseum (The Big Dome), the hallowed grounds that hosted the original 1975 bout. This October, 50 years after the legendary match brought unprecedented international attention to the Philippines, the iconic structure once again finds itself in the global spotlight. The venue is an essential character in this story. The Big Dome, which remains one of the largest clear-span domes in the world, symbolizes the country’s enduring connection to the Sweet Science. To honor its legacy, the commemorative boxing exhibition — spearheaded by MP Promotions — will be the centerpiece event on October 29, 2025, aiming to bring back the raw energy and spectacle of the original ‘Thrilla’.
The celebration extends beyond the ring as Araneta City joins the nationwide commemoration through month-long immersive exhibits in the Big Dome lobby, a move supported by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Philippine Sports Commission and backed by a Malacañang memorandum circular calling for active participation from all sectors to highlight a sporting and cultural milestone that “placed the Philippines on the global stage”. “This is a full-circle moment for the Big Dome. We are immensely proud to be the venue where the ‘Thrilla’ happened, and to partner with a living legend like Manny Pacquiao to honor that history is truly special. Fifty years later, the Smart Araneta Coliseum still holds its place at the center of it all — ready for the next fight, and the next story that will define a generation of Filipino boxing. We honor the moment that forever changed the Philippine sporting landscape and global culture. The world stood still in what became one of the most iconic battles in boxing history. It was more than just a fight. It was a poetry in motion. Two giants of the sport stepped into the ring not as opponents but as symbols of pride, determination and will to win. Under the blazing heat of Manila, Ali and Frazier gave everything they had for 14 unforgettable rounds and as we make the golden anniversary of this bout, we remember the night and we honor a generation who rewrote history. Let this milestone remind us that great moments in history never fade. They echo and stood through time.” said Uniprom Inc. Chief Operating Officer Irene Jose.
