A Filipino Congressman who is a devout Catholic and an 80 year old American promoter who is Jewish walk into a bar…
Oops. sorry, wrong script. I meant to quote the New Manny Pacquiao Testament.
The Congressman from Sarangani, noted same sex marriage opponent Manny Pacquiao and his promoter Bob Arum, joined by trainer Freddie Roach, had an international media conference call on Tuesday. View slideshow: Manny Pacquiao’s religiious reawakening results in beatific glow, promoter says
That’s when Arum reaffirmed his earlier stated promise to take his most prized fighter to the Promised Land after a June 9 Las Vegas bout against undefeated Tim Bradley.
That’s right, Pacman and Arum will jet off for Israel sometime after this bout.
The trip came up when someone asked Arum about Manny’s post-Bradley agenda and the reporter mentioned the fact that Juan Manuel Marquez, itching for a fourth chance to officially beat Pacman, will lay idle until November.
Could it be Matquez-Pacquiao, Chapter 4, for Pacuiao’s second bout of 2012?
“After the Bradley fight, we’re going to Israel,” Arum said. “We’ve got plenty of time to discuss Manny’s next fight then.” Advertisement
Both Coach Roach and Uncle Bob sang from their hymn book about how the religiously-focused Pacquiao, as opposed to the old, gallivanting and stay up all night fighter/cockfighting promoter/nightclub habitue, is a new, revitalized man.
“As far as I’m concerned, his focus (on Bradley) is very good,” Roach said. “There’s no nightlife whatsoever because he’s focued now on his Bible studies. He’s a 100 percent better athlete with no distractions, yes…”
Arum took the prefight hype to an, ahem, even higher level.
“You see the difference in Manny’s face, it is so apparent. There is a glow on his face. I just think a religious awakening for an athlete is all for the good. As a religious person myself, I think this is all good.”
To whet the PPV audience’s appetite, all three had sparkling words for Bradley.
“We’re not taking this fight lightly,” Pacquiao said. “Tim Bradley is not the kind of fighter that we underestimate. He is undefeated and he is a (world) champion. It will be a good fight.”
“I would say that Bradley is the freshest guy Manny’s fought…when you fight a guy who has not taken a lot of punishment in his career, it can be very dangerous,” Arum said.
Arum said Bradley is quite strong willed.
“It’s his mind, he is a very determined and confident young man and that is a plus for any athlete who has more than his bravado.”
It was left to Roach to put the icing on the come on (as in come on and buy the PPV TV) cake:
“I think you’re going to see the best Manny Pacquiao yet,” the trainer said.
In light of Pacquiao’s less than stellar efforts in bouts against Shane Mosley and the third bout against Juan Ma, that would be a major boost for the Pinoy Idol’s career, especially in comparison to a guy named Mayweather.
