LOS ANGELES, CA (via Pera Padala) ? The City of Vancouver in British Columbia in Canada will soon celebrate a ?Manny Pacquiao Day? in honor of the Filipino ring hero who had emerged the first fighter ever to win an eighth world championship in eight separate weight divisions.
Mayor Gregor Robertson, in a letter sent to Pacquiao before the ?Pacman? fought and won over Mexican Antonio Margarito to crown himself the new World Boxing Council super-welterweight belt-holder, invited the newly-elected Sarangani Province Congressman to the celebration.
The date of the declaration of ?Manny Pacquiao Day?, which will be held in coordination of the Filipino-Canadian community in Vancouver, site of the recent 2010 Winter Olympics, depends on the ?Pambansang Kamao?s? availability.
Mayor Robertson?s letter was delivered by the now
Vancouver-based Filipino Olympian Reynaldo Fortaleza, chairman of Reyfort Media Group, which publishes a chain of newspapers and magazines that include the Philippine Asia News Today, Balitang Vancouver, Philippine Showbiz Today and Living Today.
Fortaleza, one of the Fortaleza boxing brothers who carried the country?s colors in the 1976 Montreal Olympics and several Asian Games and Asian boxing championships, presented the letter to Pacquiao?s Canadian adviser Michael Koncz and the boxer?s wife Jinkee.
Fortaleza covered for his publications the November 13 Pacquiao-Margarito fight held at the cavernous Dallas Cowboys Stadium where the Filipino sensation manhandled the Mexican pretender in a unanimous 12-round decision.
?In partnership with the Filipino-Canadian community, we would like to declare ?Manny Pacquiao Day? in Vancouver to celebrate your many accomplishments and the positive impact you have on Youth,? Mayor Robertson?s invitation said. ?
Jinkee, with whom Pacquiao has four children, expressed elation of Mayor Robertson?s invitation saying it will be an honor for her family?s that her husband?s will be presented with such recognition.
?It?s a great honor for us that Manny will be accorded such a recognition. I don?t know yet when Manny will be available to go to Vancouver to receive it, but I?m sure he will be honored when he learned about it,? Jinkee said. ?I will just let him rest first from that grueling fight before I talk to him about it.?
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