LOS ANGELES ? They came from all over to see him in person, took souvenir selfies and simply soaked in the sights and sounds of his training in a public park here.
And Manny Pacquiao loved every moment of it, feeding on the crowds? energy and affection, calling them his ?ten thousand angels? that further boosted the fighter?s morale and confidence heading to the homestretch of his buildup for his May 2 mega showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
?Yes, I have ten thousand angels,? Pacquiao said.
At the Pan Pacific Park on a cool Saturday morning, Pacquiao attracted perhaps the biggest crowd he?d seen in training.
?Eto na kami (Here we come),? said Pacquiao, and the crowd cheered in approval.
He jogged a couple of miles from his home, and by the time he strode into the park, a big crowd had gathered in the area where he does his abdominal exercises. Sportshub ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
The crowd was three, four or five deep. They watched with cameras on hand, taking selfies with Pacquiao even if the boxer was 10 feet away.
They were mostly Filipinos based here.
Pacquiao was in a jovial mood as he exercised. According to team member Nonoy Neri, the 36-year-old boxer did 1,300 crunches before getting up.
Not a sip of water all throughout.
Pacquiao often brought the house down with his one-liners. His friend, Jake Joson, acted as cheerleader.
?Kinakabahan na sila (They?re feeling the pressure),? added Pacquiao, referring to the Mayweather camp.
But he refused to predict the outcome of the fight.
?Mahirap magsalita (It?s hard to tell),? said the boxer, who was at the Wild Card Gym in the afternoon for another round of sparring.
?Just think positive because if you seek and you doubt then you will not receive,? he said.
Pacquiao did six rounds with two different sparring partners then hit the mitts for six rounds with Freddie Roach.
Outside the gym was a cold afternoon drizzle and yet fans stood waiting for the eight-division champion to come out and join them.
But it didn?t happen.
?Sorry, not today,? said the burly fellow who manned the steel gate.
In no time, Pacquiao was seen boarding his car and on to the street with his new friend, Abbas Ahmadi, at the wheel.
They were bound for Irvine, the affluent suburban city around 40 miles from Los Angeles. At least seven vehicles sped off with Pacquiao.
Ahmadi, owner of the South Coast Mitsubishi dealership, hosted a birthday party for Pacquiao?s youngest child, Israel.
Pacquiao will take another break Sunday, his last before the fight, and on Monday he takes the customary drive to Vegas.
The fight is just around the corner.
