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FINALLY,
Manny Pacquiao flew to
Los Angeles
the other night to start training for his next crucial
ring engagement.
However,
an extra effort from International promoter Rex “Wakee”
Salud was needed to convince the Filipino boxing
sensation to board the Philippine Airlines plane to Los
Angeles.
“At
last, he is now on his way to the US. People around him
should realize boxing must be Manny’s priority,” said
Salud in an interview late Tuesday.
According to Salud, Pacquiao was again contemplating on
postponing his long-anticipated journey after learning
that Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez won’t be able to
join them as the trip that night was full-booked.
Salud
was able to purchase a ticket for himself and Pacquiao
and they were supposed to be joined by Fernandez and
lawyer Franklin Gacal.
“I just
gave my ticket to Buboy just for Manny to leave the
country. I’m really concerned about Manny’s image with
his American promoters. For him to postpone tonight’s
[Tuesday night] trip will harm his reputation,” said
Salud who decided to stay put in
Manila along with Gacal.
Salud
thanked PAL president Jaime Bautista for helping them
arrange the trip of both Pacquiao and Fernandez.
The
southpaw Pacquiao, currently one of the top boxing
superstars, is scheduled to meet Marco Antonio Barrera
on October 6 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao
is expected to attend the press conference of his battle
with Barrera today at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Sunset
Boulevard, Los Angeles, California.
The bout
is a rematch of their initial encounter last November
2003 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, where
Pacquiao pulverized and stopped Barrera in the 11th
round, a win that made the Filipino fighter what he is
today.
Rob
Peters, an assistant of American trainer Freddie Roach,
told BusinessMirror in an overseas interview that the
Wild Card Gym habitués were euphoric when they learned
about Pacquiao’s scheduled arrival.
Roach is
currently in
Sacramento
as he joined seven Filipino boxers led by Rey “Boom
Boom” Bautista in preparing for the Mexico vs. RP Boxing
World Cup slated this Sunday at the Arco Arena.
Barrera
vs. Pacquiao ‘WC’ tiebreaker
IF the
upcoming Boxing World Cup between the Philippines and
Mexico ends up at three apiece, the Pacquiao-Barrera
fight will serve as the tiebreaker of the first of its
kind tournament.
This
after BusinessMirror learned from ALA Boxing Gym owner
Tony Aldeguer that the bout between Bert Batawang and
opponent Gerardo Verde has been scrapped after the
Mexican was diagnosed to be suffering from a detached
retina.
With the
development, six bouts will now comprise the World Cup
headlined by Bautista’s world title shot against World
Boxing Organization (WBO) super-bantamweight champion
Daniel Ponce de Leon.
According to Aldeguer, Golden Boy Promotions executives
came up with the idea after they finally decided to
cancel the Batawang-Verde bout.
Aldeguer
said GBP’s copromoter of the Pacquiao-Barrera clash Top
Rank Inc. and its boss Bob Arum will not mind making the
October slugfest a potential World Cup tiebreaker.
Co-main
event is the WBO bantamweight showdown of ex-world
champion Gerry Peñalosa against titleholder Jhonny
Gonzalez in a 12-round battle.
Also
seeing action is Z Gorres who will battle ex-world
light-flyweight champion Eric Ortiz, Diosdado “The
Prince” Gabi against Jose Angel Beranza, RP bantamweight
champion Michael Domingo vs. Miguel Roman, while teen
sensation AJ Banal, originally penciled to challenge
Ortiz, will still be part of the World Cup event against
a Mexican fighter to be determined within the week. |
