LOS ANGELES — Happiness was written all over the face of Manny Pacquiao the day after posting a scintillating victory at Staples Center.
With his entourage behind him every step of the way, Pacquiao began the day by attending Sunday mass at the Christ The King near Hollywood followed by a hearty breakfast at the Marriott Hotel in the downtown area and late-lunch at a Chinese restaurant.
Pacquiao, who mauled Hector Velazquez to a sixth-round technical knockout defeat on Saturday night, was joined by wife Jinkee everywhere he went and the boxer found comfort in the arms of the woman who less than a day earlier had undergone one of the most testing times of her life.
Jinkee was so worried that when a scribe told the Filipino sports hero how badly he looked, Jinkee nodded but his valiant husband just would not buy that observation.
Her soft hands massaging and even caressing the arms and fists that were used to beat up a game opponent, Jinkee sat quietly as Pacquiao narrated how he was able to take the starch out of the fearsome body-puncher from Tijuana.
Captured listeners of Pacquiao included friend and cockfighting buddy Wakee Salud, cornerman Lito Mondejar, a handful of mediamen and several supporters.
Over at the Chinese restaurant, Pacquiao posed for pictures and signed autographs that were handed over by fans mostly Filipinos living here.
“Champion ka talaga,” hollered one senior citizen at the adjacent table.
“Manny, idol ka naming lahat,” shrieked a middle-aged woman who was with her husband and kids.
As he drove away after a sumptuous meal of roast duck, steamed fish, beef with asparagus, chili lobsters, crabs, beef stew, spicy scallops, orange chicken, fried noodles, steamed rice washed down with tea and soda, Pacquiao hopped on his big-sized SUV and drove away wearing a million-dollar smile.
Early next year in Las Vegas, Pacquiao figures in a lucrative rematch with Erik Morales that guarantees him a paycheck of $1.750 million.
