LAS VEGAS ? As far as Manny Pacquiao is concerned, there are only five days to go before he cements his claim to boxing immortality. Arriving in this city before 8 p.m. on Monday after a three-and-a-half hour journey from his training headquarters in Los Angeles, Pacquiao expressed confidence he would add the name of Erik Morales to his growing list of big name victims when they clash on Saturday night at the MGM Grand.
Pacquiao was joined by his trainer Freddie Roach and conditioning coach Justin Fortune at the lobby of the 5,005-room hotel where they were met by Shelly Finkel, who now handles the affairs of the Filipino hotshot.
“Talagang handang-handa na sa labanan,” said Pacquiao as he made his way up to his room at the 18th floor.
Pacquiao checked in without a hitch, but the remaining members of his entourage had to wait for at least an hour before they were given their room assignments.
“Tiwala talaga ako na mananalo kontra kay Morales,” added Pacquiao, whose arrival was filmed by HBO and by a team sent by ABS-CBN.
Seven rooms were allotted for Team Pacquiao, but with the huge number of people who joined him in the trip, some people had to wait for an hour before being given their room assignments. One of the rooms even had as much as seven people crammed like sardines.
Sports is taking centerstage this week and with spring break for college students just around the corner and the finals of the NCAA basketball tournament set to be played on the same night Pacquiao and Morales lock horns at the Grand Garden Arena, this city is expecting a huge volume of visitors in the next few days.
After Pacquiao had a quick look at his room, he went to eat dinner at the Grand Buffet where he was joined by Finkel, Roach, Fotune, lawyers Keith Davidson and Nicholas Khan. A notable absentee during the get-together were Rod Nazario and promoter Murad Muhammad.
Also present were his wife Jinkee, who sat with new acquaintances from Los Angeles.
A check with the MGM Grand Sportsbook revealed that Pacquiao remains a favorite with a bet of $130 on the Filipino winning $100. A bet of $100 on Morales will have a return of $110.
If the fight goes the full route, a bettor who places $100 will earn $105.
Pacquiao is guaranteed a purse of $1.750 million (R96.25 million). That probably would be peanuts if he wins and faces Marco Antonio Barrera in a rematch that would rock both the Philippines and Mexico.
This is the first time a fighter from Asia is headlining a pay-per-view card although Pacquiao has seen action in two pay-per-view shows also in the US, first in Las Vegas in June 2001, and second, in Memphis (Tennessee) in June 2002.
This will be Pacquiao?s seventh outing on American shores.
