LOS ANGELES -- When Manny Pacquiao, boxing only eight-division champ, faces Adrien Broner at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, chances are NBA superstar Derrick Rose will be in the audience.
The fighting senator offered two tickets for his friend to attend the WBA welterweight championship fight. The invite was relayed through the two athletes' mutual friend, PhilBoxing.com NBA page editor Homer Sayson.
"Wow, really man?" said Rose when PhilBoxing.com caught up with him at Staples Center where the Minnesota Timberwolves, Rose's current team, played the Los Angeles Clippers yesterday.
Rose scored 21 in the Timberwolves' 120-109 loss to the Clippers, but he exploded for 50 in Minnesota's 128-125 victory over the Utah Jazz last October 31, thrusting the former Chicago Bull squarely back in the limelight.
Now 30, Rose is the NBA's 2009 Rookie of the Year and the 2011 MVP, the youngest to ever win the award at age 22. He is a huge Pacquiao fan and once gave Manny a signed Bulls jersey. Pacquiao in return gave Rose a signed bright-red official Manny Pacquao boxing trunks.
Photo: PhilBoxing NBA writer Mohan Ramchandani with Derrick Rose at the Staples Center where the Pacquiao invite to the NBA star baller was relayed following the Clippers versus Timberwolves tiff.
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