AFTER BORACAY, the bright lights of Las Vegas is up next for Manny Pacquiao and his loved ones.
Unless there is a last-minute change in plans, Pacquiao is flying tonight to the States with wife Jinkee, kids Emmanuel Jr., Michael Stephen and Mary Divine Grace to spend more quality time after frolicking in the pristinewhite beaches of Aklan last week.
“Manny will go straight to Las Vegas and should also squeeze in a few times attending to some boxing matters with Top Rank chief Bob Arum,” Pacquiao?s confidant Wakee Salud yesterday said.
Salud said Pacquiao will arrive in Manila either on Jan. 5 or 8 to deal with personal matters since he has been ordered by trainer Freddie Roach to show up at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood on Jan. 15, exactly two months before his March 15 rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez.
“It?s going to be another round of bonding time for Pacquiao, Jinkee and the kids because once Manny begins running and reports for training, it?s going to be all business,” Salud added.
Top Rank and Gondel Boy Promotions, which handles Marquez, are joining hands in staging the scheduled 12-rounder at the Events Center of Mandalay Bay.
Arum is eyeing to score a huge success not only in ticket sales but in the pay-per-view revenue as well.
“We are looking at 500,000 buys for this rematch,” said Arum during his recent visit, noting that Pacquiao is capable of bettering his previous high of 350,000 buys.
When Pacquiao fought Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera, it generated impressive numbers.
Apart from a hefty purse, Pacquiao is also guaranteed a share in the PPV sales although both Pacquiao and Top Rank decline to say just how much owing to a confidentiality clause in the contract.
The first time Pacquiao and Marquez fought in May 2004, the bout was declared a 12-round split draw and the controversy that surrounds that fight should create more interest.
Marquez, in a story recently ran by Reuters, said he is upbeat that he will deal Pacquiao a loss on March 15.
Despite the Yuletide season, Marquez is working out at the Romanza Gym in Mexico City owned and operated by his longtime caretaker and trainer, Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain.
