WBC INTERNATIONAL superfeatherweight champion Manny Pacquiao was given a fitting heroes welcome by his native hometown General Santos City upon arrival on Wednesday.
But unlike the festivities in Manila, the peoples’ champion this time was freed by the funfare from local politicians, who did not join the scheduled victory motorcade around the city.
Pacquiao arrived in General Santos about 8:45 a.m. onboard a Philippine Airline plane and only his wife Jinky, mother Dionisia, father Rosalio and brother Rogel were in the float that carried them around the major thoroughfares.
Reports said that he also spoke briefly with electoral rival South Cotabato Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio and other local officials at the airport’s VIP lounge but none of them joined Pacquiao in the prepared float.
Instead, some 300 tricycles were at the airport to join with the Filipino boxing icon in the parade, which was accompanied by a 1,200-vehicle convoy composed of friends, well-wishers and supporters.
The 28-year-old Pacquiao successfully demolished WBC super featherweight No. 2 challenger Jorge Solis via an 8th round knockout on Sunday (Manila time) at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Meanwhile, the celebrated trainer Freddie Roach and his assistant Justin Fortune have parted ways following a disagreement over who will keep the 10-percent share from the $2-million purse received by Pacquiao during the fight.
A reliable source said the disagreement started when the check representing the 10-percent share percentage for the trainer was given under the name of Fortune and not of Roach, who was in Puerto Rico during the training of Pacquiao.
An insider close to the Filipino boxing great revealed that Roach called up Pacquiao several times regarding the contentious check, however, there was no clear mention as to who will finally get the trainer’s share.
The American trainer Roach, owner of the famous Wild Card gym in Los Angeles, California, used to get the 10-percent share of Pacquiao’s fight purses in previous fights, but he was not around during the preparations against Solis because he was hired by Oscar de la Hoya in the latters fight against Floyd Mayweather on May 5.
