Boxing News 2014: Manny Pacquiao’s Mum Dionesia New YouTube Sensation With Version of Miley Cyrus’s Wrecking Ball

Dionesia Pacquiao — Apr 12, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Mother of Manny Pacquiao Dionesia Dapidran-Pacquiao holds up his gloves after the WBO World Welterweight Title bout against Timothy Bradley at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Pacquiao won via unanimous decision. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports Reuters

She captured global attention during the Saturday rematch of her son Manny Pacquiao against American boxer Timothy Bradley with her unique way of assuring the victory of the Filipino boxer through prayer. Western media, however, has mistaken the caricature-like character of Dionesia Pacquiao, also known as Pacmom or Mommy D to Filipinos, as casting a hex on Bradley (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXNIq_iDga8)

For that now famous clip showing her doing spiritual battle on the ringside, Dionesia is now being labeled National Finger, a play on the unofficial title of Manny as National Fist.

She explained in Pilipino to GMA her action: "While they were hitting each other, I was praying. I was praying that Manny knockout Bradley."

While the Saturday bout didn't end in a knockout, heaven obviously heard the prayer of the devout Catholic Dionesia since Manny was declared winner in a unanimous decision not questioned by the boxing world.

Media's fascination with Dionesia didn't end with the finger-wagging video. Even as she is still in the US with Manny, social media sites are having a field day airing her appearance in a Philippine variety show wherein Dionesia, also known for her fondness for ballroom dancing, displayed her singing prowess (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdSjn9ZVjqk).

Her piece: Miley Cyrus's Wrecking Ball. She definitely did not strip off her purple gown or literally rode a wrecking ball, but her YouTube hits certainly was smashing as a wrecking ball, garnering over about 150,000 hits in one day.

Well, if you haven't had enough of her, here's another video clip of the irrepressible senior citizen engaged in ballroom dancing on the occasion of the blessing of her new mansion (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeZJR-D2pdc) in late 2013.