Dashing and dapper in a three-piece suit, boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, as expected, was a big hit with the predominantly Filipino crowd at the Pavilion of the Hilton Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, where the Pinoy Power 3/Latin Fury fight card was held on Valentine weekend.
Media friends who covered the event swore love was in the air as Manny and wife Jinkee greeted their friends, fans and kababayans.
My veteran colleague Ronnnie Nathanielsz, for one, said he was overwhelmed by the romantic aura exuded by the couple that night.
“Jinkee looked really lovely, while Manny was all smiles and obviously happy,” said Ronnie, who covered the Las Vegas fight with Dyan Castillejo for ABS-CBN. “He had a broad grin on his face as he moved around acknowledging the cheers and the handshakes from fellow Filipinos, Americans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Latino fans.
“Every TV network covering the event that night was scrambling for an interview with the pound-for-pound king. Not only that, everyone tried to get him to join their broadcast panel.”
Of course, Manny ended up with the tandem of Ronnie and Dyan.
“Manny was clearly in his element as he talked about his fight with Joshua Clottey in Texas next month,” Ronnie related. “He also talked about a program series that he wanted to do. Actually, we had talked about it in the past and the plan was to telecast all his old fights when he was still a kid and feature it on the late Rod Nazario’s “Blow by Blow” weekly TV show.”
“Of course, Manny’s stature, fame and fortune have skyrocketed since.”
Incidentally, many of the champ’s countrymen find disturbing the report that Manny is dangling a $20,000 prize for the member of Team Pacquiao who will lose the most number of pounds before the fight.
Instead of spending his money on incentives like this, the critics feel that Pacquiao could alleviate the plight of his poor countrymen at home by helping them get started on small livelihood projects.
“These people around Manny get fat eating off him, and now he will reward them for losing weight,” said one critic. “These LA (Los Angeles) boys whom he continues to coddle will be the first to forget him when his days as champion are over.”
source:inquirer.net
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